Lonesome Travellers
by throne.craver
Summary: Eric Paxton and Leon Wolcott were recent arrivals to King County. They have spent their entire lives looking out for each other since they both abandoned their families in Kentucky at a young age. Eric was on his path to become a police officer in his new town under the wing of Deputy Rick Grimes. But his mentor is shot and the world goes to hell. How will the two men cope?
1. Prologue

**Here Is my 2****nd**** attempt at a walking Dead Fanfic, Last time I became to twisted and complex and strayed too far in my own direction.**

**Hopefully with this one I can keep the storyline more simple and easy to follow so I can work more on how the story is written. This time there is only 2 original characters Eric and Leon. They are two nineteen year old best friends from high school that dropped out and began working as soon as they could. They both grew up in Kentucky and recently moved to King County, the town that Rick and Shane lived and worked in. Eric is our P.O.V and main character.**

**I won't go too much into their story now, you will learn it slowly as you go. The prologue and the first chapter are the only time jump. Will go through the gaps between seasons and so on**

**So I hope you enjoy the story and excuse me for my long Authors note, I am open to any opinions and suggestions that you may have, please don't be shy, leave a review or a message and I'll get straight back to you.**

**Now let the fun Begin :) **

_**ERIC**_

We had plenty of warning, me and Leon, we had managed to loot most of King County before people had even begun leaving their homes. I had felt immensely bad about it. I didn't have much of a connection with any of the locals but it still rubbed me the wrong way. The sheriff's department had gone belly up when Deputy Grimes had been shot and the virus had made it no better. The sheriff was a lazy bastard and Shane was too focused on his own agenda to step into Rick's shoes. I had only been a clerk, a helping hand, despite the fact that Rick and Shane had been pushing for my recruitment, but I had still felt a civic duty, but even some of the more veteran officers had abandoned ship and taken their families out. Shane had left one night with Rick's family, which was when I had decided the place was fucked; Leon and I started looting that night. We had more than a few brawls with fellow looters but we had managed to get all we needed nonetheless. That had been almost three weeks ago and Leon and I were still holed up on our farmhouse just outside King County.

Now Leon was driving my Jeep towards town and I had his silenced, scoped, hunting rifle in my hands as I examined the surroundings and the streets of our town. Most of the walkers had been put down in King County, thank god, but every day there would be a few more that had drifted in from somewhere else. I had begun using them as a chance for target practise. That first day when we had begun looting I went straight to the Native American Antique shop on the main street. I snatched myself a good tomahawk and bow and arrows. I had done archery with a friend in Kentucky before but with a proper modern bow, getting used to the old, wooden design of the one that I carried now had been more of a chore than I expected. I had become a lot better now though. Leon had himself a knife, a machete and his hunting rifle; he had always been a crack shot and a gun enthusiast.

I looked over at my best friend and smiled, me and him had spent our lives together. Neither of our family's were worth a nickel so we bailed, together, when we were quite young, relied, protected and supported each other ever since. Now was no different. Leon was closer than a brother to me, he was all the family I had ever needed. We were glad that we had been so co-dependant when the apocalypse rolled around... wasn't many people to mourn.

Leon pulled up to the front door of a mini-mart and I pulled the bow off of the holster that was slung over my torso. It also held the quiver and attached to the belt that I used to hold my combat knife and tomahawk. I climbed over the back of the Jeep and smashed open the glass, sliding door into the shop. I drew an arrow from the quiver and nocked it, waiting for the walkers that I could hear approaching the sound of shattering glass. I had to jump off of the back of the jeep to get a clear shot and I counted five coming at me, two from my left and three to my front. I heard the muffled shots as Leon put down two of the ones in front of me. I shot the third with an arrow and it punched halfway deep into its skull. The other two reached me and I swung the bow to crack into the side of one's head, I jumped back and clipped it back into the holster. I drew the tomahawk swiftly and brought it down on the oncoming walker's head. The other lunged, teeth first for my arm and my heart almost smashed out my chest as my throat tightened and my left hand subconsciously snaked the combat knife out of it's sheath at my side and skewered the thing's brain going up through the chin.

Leon just climbed in behind me and I heard him exhale heavily. "I swear it's closer every time, man." He commented.

"It'll take more than some starved, retarded cannibal to get rid of me." I said with a cocky grin.

"I know... I thought now might be the time I was rid of you." He teased.

"You'll go before me." I said plainly.

"I'm even gonna dignify that insult with a bet." He said, raising his head defensively.

"I'll bet... that you don't know what dignify means." I said to him, trying not to laugh. I saw him struggling for a comeback and burst out laughing again. "Go get a trolley man."

Leon pulled one out of the rack and we went strolling casually through the isles as Leon picked shit off the shelves. I had an arrow nocked to my bow as I kept an eye out for him. "You think we got enough guns and ammo and shit?" he asked a few minutes into our shopping trip.

"The less guns and ammo we got, the less inclined we'll be to use em." I looked at Leon as he looked back at me with confusion evident in his face. "Hand to hand is quieter..." I explained.

"But we got silencers too." He pointed out.

"Ammo is more valuable than diamonds now... like food. We save the bullets until we're backed up against the wall, just common sense." I stated.

"I guess." He said as he picked out a packet of roll ups.

"Sustenance man... not taste." I reminded him. "We ain't got all day to be picking all the shit we want." I said to him.

I heard a gunshot suddenly and we instantly looked at each other in panic. "Stay here." I said to him and ran for the entrance in a hurry. I was cautious about getting close to the windows in case the shooter was some nut job following us but when I got there I saw nothing. I ran back to where Leon was waiting next to the trolley.

"What is it?" Leon asked me.

"The shot must have been further than we thought, sound carries in an empty town. You good to handle this on your own?" I asked my best friend. Leon nodded to me and carried on rolling the trolley through the isles. I realised the growling feeling in my stomach and ripped open a packet of power bars on the shelves. I ate two of them as quickly as I could. I pulled the nine millimetre Beretta from the back of my belt and got the silencer out of the back pocket of my blue jeans. I screwed it on and checked the clip before pulling a round into the chamber. I made my way back through the mini-mart and squeezed through the Wrangler and the doorway and stepped into the quiet, fresh air. I started jogging my way down the street to where I heard the shot come from keeping both hands on my weapon and my eyes were constantly scanning the areas around me. I looked around the corner and saw an African American man and his son carrying a man in his hospital gown towards a house. There was a dead walker on the road that I hadn't seen before also.

I stepped around the corner and shot the footpath in front of the conscious man's feet. He set the body down and looked at me as I edged my way closer to the silent pair with my gun raised and a ruthless scowl on my face.

I got within earshot and kept my eyes focused on the two of them. "What'd you do to him?"

"We just found him." The black man said with his hands raised. "My son hit him with a shovel."

I saw the blood on the gown and grimaced. "He bit?" I asked cautiously, the sight of the young boy with his hands raised, still holding his shovel made me feel like shit, but I couldn't let my guard down now. It was too late for diplomacy, I had already taken that off the table with my gun.

"Not sure..." The man muttered nervously.

"Well I'll take it from here. You and your boy go back to whatever hole you crawled out of, night will be by before you know it." I said to them strongly and forcefully.

The man nodded and grabbed his boys shoulder, pushing him ahead, almost desperately. "Thank you for your mercy." He said gratefully.

I nodded to the man and smiled at his son before they slithered away down the road. I turned the body over and found myself staring right into the eyes of Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes of King County. My breath caught in my throat. This man had been the closest I had to a friend in this town. He had taken me under his wing with no thought for himself and tried to settle me into the town. I knelt over his body and felt for a pulse. _He's fucking alive!_ I thought joyfully. The man had pulled through the coma despite the breakdown of civilisation.

I saw the welt that had formed on the back of my head and once again looked at the young boy who was walking away with a shovel. _Perhaps a tad too quick to violence_. Was my first thought, at that moment Leon came swinging around the corner in the Jeep and stopped when he seen me kneeling over a body. I could hear the panic in his footsteps as he made his way over to me.

"You okay brother?" He asked me worriedly.

"I'm fine Leon. Look who I found." I said, indicating to the unconscious Rick.  
"Fuck me." He said in amazement.

"One tough son of a bitch. We should get him back to the farm, re-dress that wound of his." I said, looking over the rest of his body. "Looks like the gunshots all he's got."

"There's a relief. Come on, lug him in and let's split. More walkers will come for that gunshot."

He was lighter than I expected but I still didn't want to aggravate the wound or anything like that, so I picked him up as tenderly as possible and lay him over the back seat with a blanket over him. Leon handed me his rifle and got back into the driver's seat.

On the drive home I told him about the black man and his son. It seemed that they had been living in town a while. Leon had wanted to know if they were going to be a threat. It hadn't seemed like it to me. But I told him it was best we stay on our guard. We reached the farm in a matter of minutes, it wasn't far from town. This time when we parked outside Leon helped me carry the poor guy inside and I went into the garage and pulled him out a double mattress and heaved it into the lounge, next to the fire.

Leon laid him down and told me to go and fetch the medical basket. I did so and he began to undress the bandages around the deputy's gunshot wound. I left him too it, Leon would probably be better at that shit than me. The whole day had begun just like they all had the past few weeks and now the dead had come back to life, except this time they weren't trying to eat me. It had been a weird turn for the day but I was glad it had happened. _Perhaps he will be smart enough to stay_. I thought to myself. Knowing Rick he would go gallivanting for his family in any direction and wouldn't stop until he found them... alive or dead.

In that moment the whole thing just suddenly became real to me. Everyone was gone. For all I knew we were the only ones alive in the world, us and the two they had seen today. Everything was fucked, the whole world... society and government. It was every man for himself out there, and it would only be a matter of time before the world became one gigantic savage war zone. I didn't look forward to the idea but I knew that I'd rather be alive than dead. And I'd rather be dead than turn my back on my morals and beliefs.

I took a stroll down into the basement and found my packet of tailor made cigarettes. I lit it and sat at the table that was down there, pulling the ash tray next to me. I took a drag on it and felt _some_ of the stress ease as it went into my lungs. I exhaled and a smile came over my face. I wiped it away instantly. I actually felt _guilty _for smiling, and I felt stupid about feeling guilty. I had never been one to express my feelings to anyone, I just didn't know how... and now... well now it was damn near impossible to describe how I was feeling at any given moment. Since the turn my emotions had been an uncontrollable whirlwind of rage, depression and fake attempts at happiness mixed with various other things that I couldn't even fathom.

I got up from my seat and left the cigarette in the ashtray as I unclipped my holster and belt and left it hanging on the door. I felt much better without my weapons on... _most of the time_. But today was just a weird day, nothing serious... _I hope_. I grabbed a drink of iced tea from one of the bags on the bench and smiled as the slightly warm yet refreshing and tasty liquid slid down my throat, revitalising my entire body. I sat down and took a bigger swig of it before returning to my cigarette.

"He had a fever... but I think it might have just been a blood infection. I gave him a bunch of antibiotics to settle him down. Redressed the wound, no bites or scratches. He's resting, gotta have a killer headache, I'll give him some painkillers when he wakes up. But he may need to rest here a while." Leon said from the doorway. He was cleaning blood off of his hands with a rag.

"Fine by me, he's welcome to stay."

"We both know that ain't gonna happen." He exclaimed.

"Yeah." I admitted, shaking my head. "Thanks for patching him up."

"It was easy... good practise." He stated simply, sitting down with me and taking the cigarette before taking a drag.

"We got a decent amount of food I saw." I said with a slight grin at him.

"That place still has enough left to last us a few months if no one else loots it." Leon said grinning back happily.

"And small town communities are supposed to stick together." I said jokingly. "Instead they all ran for the gun shop and ended up shooting each other."  
"Yeah... and we picked up their guns when they were done." We both chuckled and I had another sip of the iced tea before handing it over to Leon.

"So what's for dinner?" I asked cheekily, standing up and stubbing out the cigarette.

**Later that night: 7.56pm**

"Eric..." I heard Leon say quietly. "I think he's waking up." I felt him shaking my shoulders and I shook myself free of his grip.

"Rick." I said as I groggily rubbed at my eyes.

"Eric..." He said in a raspy voice, I opened my eyes properly and sat right next to him. He grabbed my shoulder and smiled. Leon handed me the glass of water and I put it to his lips. I gave it to him in small doses so he didn't choke on it and eventually he was able to sit up and drink it himself.

"You want to know what Leon decided to cook for dinner? Grilled cheese..." I said dramatically. "How exciting... after we just went shopping today."

"Grilled cheese would do me fine." Rick said as Leon put the plate onto the floor beside the mattress.

"Are you okay?" I asked him as he reached for the plate shakily.

"Did one of you hit me with a shovel?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"Save some of that water dude, I'll get you some painkillers." Leon said, rushing back towards the kitchen.

"You got a couple of other degenerates to thank for that. I saw a black guy and his son carrying you towards some house down your road." I said to the man as he tried to sit himself up. "Just relax man, your safe as can be in here." I told him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He lay back down and chuckled.

"I thought this was all some weird dream. It isn't is it?" He asked me, his face was dismayed as he looked at me.

I didn't know how to break it to the man, not after he had looked at me like that. How was I supposed to tell him that there is a big chance that his family is dead or walking around eating people? "You... just eat something and get some more rest. We'll tell you everything eventually, but you need to get yourself right." I said, standing up and wandering away from him.

I sat down at the dinner table. We had a fair few guns and they were spread out over the table along with the ammo. I began to examine them, Leon was in and out of the house for a while but when I had seen my friend walk out the last time with all his gear I knew he was going to butcher us up another pig. We had been eating quite well since it all happened. Food and guns had been our priority. After the first week we decided to stock up on all the gas we could in case we had to leave. One of the small sheds next to the barn where Leon was headed just outside was jam-packed with gas tins and other containers that all held petrol.

There had been a hunting shop in town as well as a gun shop and we had split up, taken one each and brought back as much as we possibly could. I had taken damn near every one of the guns off of the shelves at the hunting shop. The ammo had been harder to find I had almost had my throat cut because of it. The owner tried to stop me and I had been forced to beat the shit out of him to stop him from trying again. I had been in a rush after that and so it happened that most of the rifles were low on ammo.

Leon had gone to the gun store. The swag of weapons that he had brought back with him was immense and the ammo plentiful. He found a black steel Python revolver with a wooden grip and plenty of boxes of ammo for it. He had five nine mils, a desert eagle and two .357 revolvers with a holster. There were two more hunting rifles and only one of them was scoped. A legitimate Remington sniper rifle with .308 rounds that I just couldn't wait to use, I had always had a fascination with sniper rifles. At one stage I wanted to go into the army just for the chance to use one. We had three Ak-47 assault rifles and a few automatic carbine rifles with ACOG scopes. There were a few shotguns on the table too and I couldn't help but think that we needed more.

"Did you get any of that from the station?" I heard Rick mutter, his voice returning to normal.

"I refused to loot it." I explained simply, without looking at him.

"Fair enough." Rick groaned. "You want to tell me what's happened?" He said, sitting up.

"Only if you're ready." I said carefully.

Rick nodded to me confidently and I started to explain about the news stories and the virus and how it affected people and how bad it had gotten. Rick was grieving all the while and I could see it in his eyes. A part of him believed his family was dead and I couldn't help but sympathise with the man, even though I had no idea how he felt.

"It really spread that quickly?" Rick asked him.

"Too quickly, barely anyone was prepared for it. They told everyone to gather in the cities... to be safer. Just lead them all into a massive feeding pit." I said, slowly and sadly.

"My wife would have taken Carl to her father's house in Atlanta." Rick said purposefully.

"They said they had a refugee centre there. But we got word from a traveller about a week back, they napalmed the city when it got too bad..." I said emotionally. "But they could've gotten out before that happened, or not even arrived there in time. Who knows." I muttered.

"The CDC in Atlanta. They would protect _that _place at all costs, don't you think." Rick said, looking at him for reassurance.

I felt bad giving him false hope, but maybe it was best that he didn't view the world as I now did. "It seems the logical decision." I replied. "I take it that means you won't think about staying?" I asked him.

He looked up at me with regret and sadness. "I'm sorry Eric, it's my child, and the love of my life, I gotta go after them."

"Shane drove her out of town when it got outta hand. Headed for the city. If anyone can keep her safe it's him." I reassured the man with a grin.

"He's a good man." Rick said, drinking back more water as he began working on his second sandwich.

I nodded my head slowly, Shane was a good man. He was courteous and respectful to others and he was always looking to help anyone he could. But I was sure there was something underlying inside of him. A rage of some kind, I had seen it when he took me out for a ride-along and we had chased a couple of shoplifters through some people's backyards. Shane had hammered one of them until they could barely speak through their shattered teeth. I had been too shocked and surprised to say anything to Shane, but he had carried on afterwards as usual, as if nothing had happened.

"You two have been friends a long time, just like me and Leon. I get how he felt." I said to the bearded man with a grin.

"Why don't you two come along? Give me a hand." Rick asked him curiously. "Maybe all hope isn't lost, maybe we could... you know... help out or something."

I couldn't agree with him. I wish I could, I wish that I had that optimism that the world could just get its act together and cast the virus out. But something held me back every time the thought came to mind. "I think its best we all just take care of each other and ourselves. Ain't no point trying to teach a pig to drive." I said, quoting one of the expressions Rick used with me when I started working at the station.

Rick chuckled along and looked out towards the window. "If you knew me a bit better, you'd know that it's no secret that I spend a lot of time doing things that I say shouldn't be done." He said distantly. He seemed sad that he had laughed, that he could possibly feel amusement given all that was going on. I could see it in his face. Hell... I'd seen that same _damn_ expression on almost every person we had talked to since the virus broke out.

"You don't gotta feel bad for laughing. Right now any positive feeling is a gift... just embrace them man." I told him with a frown on my face.

"You look like you're having a bit of trouble with that yourself." Rick mentioned quietly.

"I didn't have a lot of 'positive feelings' before the... epidemic." I said, struggling for the right word.

"You seemed cheerful enough at the station." Rick commented with confusion.

"Would you really have taken on a depressed teenager?" I asked him with a chuckle.

"Point taken." He muttered, finishing his food greedily. Leon came strolling inside then and went straight to the sink, where he washed his hands of all the pig's blood. "I wanted to thank both of you... for dinner, for taking me in, making sure I'm okay." He said gratefully and purposefully. "But I'll be leaving tomorrow. I need to get on the road, I need to find them."

"I get it deputy." Leon mentioned as he dried his hands off. "As long as you sure you're gonna be healthy enough. We'll give you some food and water to take, some spare gas, you might need it." He said, moving out of the kitchen and leaning on the dining table. "I'll have a bag ready for the morning."

"Thank you Leon, much appreciated."  
I stood up then, Rick being here and then him saying he will leave... never to be seen again had hit me hard, we had finally found someone from our lives and we were letting him slip away, perhaps it _was _for the best, but it still rubbed me the wrong way. Rick had been a good friend and mentor to me... I only wish we had become closer then I may have felt some kind of urge to help him. We wouldn't be so lonely in this godforsaken, fucking shit hole of a world. "I'm gonna catch some rest. Make sure you don't leave without saying goodbye Rick." I warned him, before tiredly gliding towards my room.

_She was wearing her light blue dress... my favourite one. And she was waiting for me. She was standing beneath a small bridge and there was water up to her knees, her dress rested on and flowed with the current of the small river. I felt myself walk towards her but I wasn't moving, something else was moving me. I could see my hand reach out. It rested onto her belly and my heart began racing faster and wilder than it ever had before, I felt tears sting my cheeks._

"_Baby." She whispered, leaning forward into my ear. "Where are you?"_

_I couldn't answer her. All I could do was feel that belly and my hand was warm and it tingled with pins and needles. She started crying after a while and suddenly I saw blood start running down from her eyes, I tried to speak, to move... but nothing happened, blood streamed down her face as she cried and I could feel more coming out of her stomach and wetting my palm. My hand wouldn't move and suddenly I felt something very small and weak curl around my finger._

I woke up with a start and found myself crash face first onto the floor. My eyebrow stung like fuck and I held my hand on it as the pain burned through me. I sat up and leaned against the bed, I felt a dribble of blood from my eyebrow and it started streaming down my face. My mind couldn't pay attention to it... All I could see was her big green eyes. I could hear a faint echo of her voice and it made me cry, the tears mixing in with the blood on my face.

"_Eric baby, you can't leave... I'm... I'm carrying your child."_

I sobbed uncontrollably and put my face in my hands. "I'm sorry baby." I stammered to myself.


	2. And On We Go

**This is a time jump to near the end of season 2. We follow Eric's point of view right the way through. Things will be changed about the canon storyline and certain characters will survive and certain characters will die. I will just follow where the story takes me.**

**I just want to say a quick thank you to the people already supporting me in such early stages. It really is a great inspiration to continue writing so thank you very much :)**

**Enjoy the next chapter.**

**A few weeks later: 5.04pm.**

"It's getting darker. We should find somewhere to camp... Off the highway." I insisted strongly, after the past few weeks I wasn't ashamed to say that the highway scared the absolute shit out me.

"We got at least another hour of light." Leon pointed out quietly.

"And we'll need it to set up camp." I explained.

"Right." He said, sighing heavily.

"I know bro... We're both tired." I said as he slowed the Jeep down a little bit.

"We should've stayed at the farm, I knew this was... Fuck me!" He said in frustration. I looked out to what he was angry at and saw a pileup on the highway ahead. "We don't have time for this shit." He said, pulling a u-turn and heading back in the other direction.

"You going to that driveway I saw a while back?" I asked him.

He nodded and I rested the rifle between my legs and put my head back. I had been having the same dreams for a long time now. Part of the reason I had insisted we leave was because I thought it would keep me busy enough that I wouldn't think about it. But now we were out here... I knew I had been fooling myself. I had no idea what was driving me... whether it was fear, pride, anger, or depression... I felt myself seeking out the violence. Leon had commented on some of the more brutal kills that I had done since we left. He knew Rochelle but he didn't know how involved we were and he certainly didn't know anything about any baby.

I just couldn't tell him, back before this all happened... I couldn't tell him what my plan was. We had been together for so long and close for so long but I was afraid that it would push him away, or make him feel like he wouldn't be welcome. I wanted him to stay. But I was planning to move Rochelle into the farm at King County with us, in fact it was about a week ago that we had planned for me to pick her up. Before King County we lived in Lexington in Kentucky for five years. Me and Rochelle had met during that time. We had fallen in love very quickly before her pig headed brothers tried to drive me away. I put one of them in hospital and her parents took her away from me and made her stay at a relatives, far away. Leon didn't know about any of this.

I followed her and found her at her relatives in Indiana and stayed in a motel for a week before going home. We met up every day. It was then that I had gotten her pregnant. We moved away to King county and two months later she rang me and let me know. I had been so overjoyed, I promised her there and then that I would come and get her and we could be together.

Now... well now she was... I don't know... Gone? Dead? Alive? Safe? How could I possibly know, I didn't even know if she was still in Indiana, there were so many places to look and all of them were far too dangerous to even contemplate with only the two of them. He still couldn't accept it, but yet he still carried on. Surviving day to day.

"Here it is." Leon said with a grin. "Finally."

I opened my eyes and looked out the windscreen. "How many houses do you think are down here?"

"I saw a lot of letter boxes. I couldn't count them though." He muttered.

"We should clear one out." I said, grabbing his rifle again and looking around out the window. "Woah! Hey!" I said in a hushed whisper. "Roll slow." I said warningly. Leon complied and looked through the scope at the farmhouse in view.

There were multiple tents up amongst a small grouping of trees and I could see a fire burning amongst the camp. There were people staying there. I signalled him to move forward and we drove off to where there was more dense forest, just beyond a large barn.

We stopped a fair way up the rode and hid the jeep behind a large gorse bush. We unloaded the camping gear and climbed down the ridge towards a clearing we saw next to the swamp. A fair way up we saw a walker stuck in the mud. Leon looked at me but I just shrugged my shoulders. "Up to you." I said as I commenced into the tent bag and began putting the contraption together. The tent we had taken from the sports shop in town could fit about six people. It was therefore ample room for the two of us and all the gear they needed with them.

It only took us about fifteen minutes to put the solid tent up and I grabbed the two roll-up foam mattresses from the back of the Jeep. Leon had insisted that we bring two of those fold up deck chairs as he wasn't a fan of sitting on wood every night for the foreseeable future, he pulled them out enthusiastically and sank into his one swiftly and let out a deep breath. I chuckled at him as I threw my pillow into the tent. I grabbed on of the bags of food and put it next to the entrance of the tent.

"Cigarette?" I heard Leon say below me.

He was holding one of his own ones up to me and I smiled at him. "Thanks man." I let it up with my lighter and Leon did the same.

"Rough day man." He commented, his breath sounded ragged.

"You should try sleeping then." I said to him with a grin as I took a puff of my cigarette.

"Speak for yourself buddy. I hear you muttering and yelling. What's that all about?" Leon asked him suddenly.

"How am I supposed to know?" I said defensively. "This is the first I'm hearing of it."  
He looked at me curiously, as if he didn't believe a word I had said. "Okay Eric."

I took another puff and then threw the butt into a bush to my side. I went into the tent and relieved myself of my weapons. I unclipped my holster and belt that held my bow and quiver as well as my axe and knife. I pulled the Beretta out the back of my pants and put it on my pillow. I removed my red and black plaid shirt leaving me with a tight white sports singlet and my brown work pants and plain white high top sneakers.

"We should know what's up in that camp..." I said loudly.

I heard Leon get up from his chair and heard the rustle of his rifle as he slung it over his back. "Back in twenty." He said plainly before lightly jogging off back towards the barn.

I lay down on my mattress an went into the backpack that I had claimed and used to carry general items. I found the picture that I kept inside. It was one I had taken with a disposable camera. It was a photo of Me and Rochelle lying in bed at the motel I was at. In the photo we are both laughing hysterically and she is snuggled into my chest. Every time I look at this picture it makes we cringe and I have to go through the ritual of fighting back more tears. The sight of her smile is what gets me the most. In that smile I could see so much. Trust, happiness, comfort... love. Rochelle had loved me, I was as sure of it as I was sure of anything in my entire life. I had left without her to escape her family's wrath. I had always assumed there would be more time for me to ready myself for the beginning of our life together. _But how the fuck could I have foreseen this?_

"I'm sorry baby." I whispered, stroking the photo gently and lovingly.

I place the photo back in it's special slot in the backpack and zip the thing back up. There was already plenty of wood scattered around on the floor, about a week ago there had been a storm with alarmingly high winds. There had been branches and other debris scattered everywhere on the roads and in the towns... It was a handy thing to be honest, back before the turn they would have cleared it all off the road, but now if you needed firewood, it was at your feet.

I went down to the swamp and watched the walker that was stuck in the mud, it hadn't caught sight of me yet, its back was turned and it was simply wriggling with little dedication as he gargled and moaned with hunger. I found a few big rocks and piled them on top of my forearms. It was a bit of a mission lugging them all back up the hill in one go but I managed after a while. The fire was built swift enough, _that_ part I was good at, and I lit it and sat next to it softly breathing on it as it ignited the twigs that I had collected from nearby. The fire caught to life well and I smiled at my accomplishment. I heard a groan from nearby and knew it wasn't the idiot stuck in the mud, I scampered into the tent keeping low and drew the combat knife from where I had dropped my holster and belt.

I ran back outside and slammed the knife into the top of the walker's head with a hell of a lot of momentum, we both crashed to the ground and I kneeled over him as I placed my knee into his head and wrenched my knife out. I suddenly heard another behind me and kicked out with my left leg catching the walker on the knee, I heard the snap and saw it crumple to the ground, blood was pouring from the woman walker's knee as I saw the bone snapped and poking out, she writhed and reached up at me from the ground, snarling and growling all the while. I kneeled down and swiftly slid the knife in and out of its head and it fell lifelessly to the ground.

I stood up and panted heavily taking in my surroundings again and once more finding peace and quiet. I sighed and grabbed the walker woman's legs and dragged her to the edge of the bank and rolled her down towards the swamp. I did the same with the first that I had killed and sat down in Leon's deck chair heavily. I grabbed the bottle of water from _his _backpack and took a big swig.

"Jesus." I heard from behind me, Leon was back. "How many?"

"Only two. No big deal." I said briefly. "The camp?"

"I saw Rick, Lori and Carl... And Shane" He added in amazement.

"They're here!?" I asked enthusiastically. _Rick made it. And he found his family._ "What a miracle." I mentioned.

"They look like they've been through the wars man." Leon said quietly again.

"We shouldn't decide anything until we've talked to Rick. And we shouldn't just go strolling up there." I said cautiously.

"Why not? Rick knows us." He said in confusion. "It seemed like he was the leader."

"Rick's leading?" I said happily. "That's a plus."

"Let's just rest here, see them tomorrow." Leon said as he looked at me carefully.

"I was about to start cooking... when they attacked." I said to him frustratedly.

"We shouldn't cook anyway. Camp might smell it. Let's just have a few of those bars and the rest of that chicken that we cooked the other night." Leon said, rummaging through the bags of food.

"Food fit for a king." I muttered, sinking into the chair and sighing as I got comfortable.

**The next morning: 8.56am**

Leon had been a much more successful hunter than me since we left. That was why he was now out there rounding up anything he could find, we had already eaten breakfast, but it paid to keep ahead of yourself we had found. Always looking to increase every supply we thought was a necessity.

I was just getting changed out of the sweaty clothes I had used yesterday. The day was incredibly sunny and I decided to put on a hooded grey t-shirt with polo buttons and pulled the hood up to hide my shaggy blonde hair. I pulled on a pair of straight blue faded jeans and pushed my feet back into my white high tops. I wrapped the holster around my left shoulder and clipped it to the belt at the back and on my right side. I slung the bow around onto my back and clipped it into the holder that kept it in place on my back. I decided to finally attach the shoulder holster that clung to the skin in front of my left armpit and held my Beretta. I slipped the silencer into my back pocket and grabbed the quiver that was filled with fourty-five arrows and slid it into place in front of the bow. The combat knife in its sheath hung loosely against my thigh and clipped to the belt and the tomahawk was sitting casually in a steel holster for a hammer from a tool belt.

I walked out to where the ashes of last night's fire sat and I grabbed another energy bar from the bag of food on the ground. I ripped into it and devoured it hungrily. There wasn't much for me to do now but wait. I pulled the combat knife out of the sheath and began practising a few left hand knife throws at a knot in one of the tree trunks next to out tent. Most of them were terrible misses, but after about ten minutes I began to understand the technique needed for a good throw and the knife started driving deeper and deeper into the tree.

I finished up soon after that as my left arm was aching badly and my forehead was dripping with sweat. I wiped my face with a rag that was hanging on a branch next to the tent and suddenly heard a twig snap somewhere out there. It wasn't just a sound of the forest. It sounded forced to me and I very quietly approached the edge of the bank and poked my head up as I crouched to see down towards the swamp. There was a young adolescent wearing a hoodie and a sheriff's hat carrying a Beretta. The sight almost made me laugh... until I recognised Carl Grimes. He looked like he was sneaking... hiding something. He didn't seem to be looking for anyone but I saw him look at the dead walkers that I had rolled down the hill. He kicked one of them in the head and tripped over. I had to laugh into me shirt then, doing my best to keep quiet. I heard the walker in the mud start moaning and looked back over the ridge, the branches on a tree were blocking my eye line and I very swiftly unsheathed my bow and leapt down the hill.

I found myself sliding awkwardly but in a controlled manner, I felt myself collide with a tree and braced myself. The pain was there but I was able to ignore it as I saw Carl standing eye to eye with the walker and aiming at its head. His face was scared and I knew he was balking. I saw the walker's legs wriggling free and as quickly as I could I nocked an arrow to the string and pulled and released in one fluid motion. The arrow punched into it's skull and I noticed the flash before I noticed the blood spray out of the back of the walker's head. _Leon just shot it..._ I realised... _Leon's been watching too_. I chuckled to myself and slid down the rest of the bank towards where Carl had once again tripped over as he looked with horror at the dead walker. I but the bow back into the clip and stalked over towards him, skilfully running across the log to the other side of the swamp, avoiding all the mud.

"Are you crazy kiddo?" I asked him as I approached.

He looked frightened but he did his best to put on some kind of brave face. "No I'm just..."

"It was a rhetorical question." I said simply. "I take it you don't remember me?" I asked him with a grin.

"Am I supposed to?" He asked with an attitude.

I tutted at him. "You outta learn to rein in your tongue buddy, it could get you hurt one day. I didn't expect you to remember me, we only met twice." I told him, staring into his eyes.

"Did... Did you work with my father?" He asked after a while.

"Sort of, I was new in town."

"Eric...?" He asked looking at me, his scared scowl slowly becoming a wide grin.

"Yes it's me." I held my hand up to him as he tried to speak. "And _yes_. I am more than a little hurt you didn't recognise me."

"Have you been following us?" He asked curiously.

"We just found you yesterday, we were hoping to catch your father alone, maybe you could get a message to him for us?" I asked him with high hopes.

Carl looked defensive and worried. "What do you want with him?"

"To catch up, talk, see what's what." I said simply. "Believe it or not the man _was _my friend."

"We got a little camp just up the hill there." Leon said as he approached from the trees with hardly any noise accompanying him.

"Should've known you two would both survive. Dad told us about you taking him in that day." Carl said, looking at them with a smile.

"We're real glad he found you. I hope he can keep you all safe Carl, I really do, but we need to speak to him now. Will you deliver our message or not?" I asked him impatiently.

Carl smiled at me. "Okay sure." He said, he spun on his heel to trudge through the filth again.

He got about ten metres away and I looked at the ground and saw his Beretta in the mud. "Hey!" I called out to him. I emptied the chamber and flicked the gun at him. He caught it expertly and smiled at himself and carried it back with him as he made his way back to the farm.

"Strange boy." Leon muttered.

"He wants to be strong and protect people... Like Rick." I said, watching the young boy leave.

Leon chuckled. "And you?"

"All I need to protect is you and me." I said to him for the hundredth time.

"Mm-Hm." Leon said with a smug grin. "We'll see. So you don't want to take in with this group?"

"Why would I? We have more supplies than we need and we can protect each other easier than we can a whole group of people. I just want to know how Rick is doing." I assured him.

"And then the first sob story you hear we'll be out risking our necks for some shit favour for some shit heads with a shit reward." Leon said, as he started trudging back towards the hill towards camp.

I watched him as he walked away. He had an attitude the last few days; I wasn't sure what was causing it. He had been hearing my nightmares; maybe he is just upset I won't share with him. I didn't want to, it was too hard to even think about on my own, let alone having to listen to someone else say how sorry they were. He was already sorry enough himself. It had even driven him to the thought of pulling the pistol out of his armpit and pulling the trigger into his temple but he was too stubborn to do that. He refused to _give up_. It was weak and pathetic, and that was definitely _not_ how he wanted to look when he died.

I followed him up the hill and cleaned the arrow I had used on the rag. "Do you not want to take in with a group?" I asked him curiously.

"I just want to know what we are doing Eric!" Leon snapped. "We drift, from house to house, looting any structure we see. What kind of life is this? Is it worth the struggle?" He said emotionally.

"So you _do _want to take in with a group?" I asked him in confusion.

"Did I say that!?" He asked furiously.

I raised my hands defensively. "Jesus... okay."

"We take in with some group, your gonna spend every single day, every single second doing everything you can to help everyone. And then in a week's time... or two weeks time... you'll be dead... And then I really won't know what the fuck to do." He complained, walking into the tent.

I couldn't believe he was opening up like this. He never talked like this with me before in my entire life, it made me happy that he felt he needed to make his opinion known. "I'm not going to die." I said plainly.

"You don't know that." Leon said sadly from inside.

"Yes I do. I just said. I will _not _die." I told him confidently.

"Rochelle... The dreams... you're always saying her name... is that Lexington Rochelle?" He asked quietly and nervously, comng back out of the tent.

I looked away and remained silent, I wasn't ready to speak about this, I wasn't even ready to tell Leon I wasn't ready. "Did something happen with her?" He asked me, trying to prompt me to speak.

"Why are you dreami..." He began to say.

"I can't Leon." I said, looking at him sharply as I tried to keep my voice cool. "Talk about it." I added as he looked at me in confusion.

"Hey! Who's out here!?" I heard a strong voice call out from the hill. I heard the leaves of the bush behind me rustle and I smirked as I saw Rick walking over the hill in front of me. Leon aimed the rifle at Rick's head and he held his hands up.

"I just got the revolv... Eric!?" He asked, with a wide grin. "Jesus it is... and Leon. Christ boys, it's great to see you." He said excitedly as he approached them speedily.

"You also, why don't you introduce me to your friend?" I asked him, nodding my head towards where I heard the bushes rustle.

I heard the sound again and turned to see a redneck holding a crossbow loosely at his side shuffle sheepishly out of the foliage. "I'm Eric, a friend of Ricks." I said simply, holding my hand out to the man.

His voice was grunty and hard, he sounded as if everything annoyed him in some way. "Daryl... Dixon."

"You seem to have made some nice new friends." Leon said, clapping Rick on the back as they hugged.

"Their all good people, I promise." He said looking into Eric's eyes. "I hope you've..."

"No sorry. We aren't looking to join any big group. We just wanted to make sure that you were doing okay. How's it all been?" I asked him with a great amount of concern.

Rick sat on one of the deck chairs and Daryl paced back and forth watching our surroundings with his bow at the ready. The redneck peaked my curiousity and I felt myself hoping to get to know the man, but I realised it was a stupid thought, we were _not _staying. Not now. "We lost a few people... really good people... early on." He said, his eyes were emotional but his voice remained strong. "Lately, it's been quiet. Until I was attacked in town by a group of bandits. We all got swarmed and one of their men, a boy no older than you, got left behind. We saved him and brought him back and now we have to decide what to do with him." He said, his head in his hands.

"So quite a bit then?" I asked with a laugh. "This group he belonged to? You know anything about them."

Daryl approached then. "I had a strong word with the guy, told me all sorts of stories about rape, torture, robbery. They're a bunch of violent thugs."

"You're worried about whether or not you should let him go or kill him. Morality versus safety..." I said carefully

"Rock and a hard place." Leon muttered.

"Shane... He's making it hard for me... calling me out on every decision, never giving me a moments rest. He wants to kill the kid. I know that we probably should... I just... It's too hard... He's a damn human being."

"He's a scumbag." Leon said simply.

"He claims he never took part in the violence." Daryl said to them swiftly.

"He's alive, that means he's a survivor. A survivor will tell you exactly what he needs to in order to survive, id have said the same thing in his place, give myself more time to try and slip the cuffs." I said, looking at them carefully. "Even if he didn't take part in it, he condoned it by not taking a stand."

"I've told myself all of this over and over Eric, don't worry." Rick said distantly, Daryl looked a little frustrated and I had an idea suddenly.

"This man, what is his name?" I asked Daryl.

"Randall." He replied instantly.

"Yes... Randall, and his friends, his group of thugs and criminals murdered my father in our camp a few weeks ago, I've come across your camp looking for prisoners and it just so happens that Randall is one of the men I recognise from that fateful night. I take care of your problem of my own accord and get your pest off of your back for a while." I said slowly as they started to comprehend what I was talking about.

Rick looked at me curiously. "And what do you want?"

"Little food wouldn't hurt. Some gas if you've got it. However much you feel like giving me in return." I said carefully.

Rick was thinking it through, Leon was chuckling to himself as he looked at me and I smiled at him. "The guys gotta die one way or the other. An outside party is always a handy asset."

"Say your cousin, not your father, Shane could remember you didn't have parents." He said, he stood up suddenly and shook hands with both of them. "Thank you for your help with this."

"Our pleasure Deputy." Leon said with a grin.

"I ain't a cop any more." Rick assured them both.

"We'll come by at night time for dramatic effect." I told them as they made their way back to camp. I looked back at Leon and we both sniggered with laughter.

**That night: 8.22pm**

"Ladies and gentlemen I'm sorry but you may want to shield the children's eyes." I told them with a snarl as I pulled out the combat knife. I had done my best to avoid taking in any of the survivors in the camp, it was better for me and Leon's plan if I didn't try to get to know any of the people that were here. We had showed up about ten minutes ago and I had made a big speech to them all... all empty words filled with fake emotion and false accusation.

Randall had a blindfold on and Leon was holding his throat open by the guy's hair and I loosely held the knife in my grip as I walked towards the man. Everybody except, Rick, Daryl, Shane and the old man that owned the farm left. I reached Randall and let out a fake emotional scream as I plunged the knife into the man's ribs and stomach and listening to him gargle on his own blood. _This is to protect Rick's group_. I told myself as I sliced the knife along Randall's throat and blood came pouring out like the Niagara Falls.

I stared at the body as it fell to the ground, lifeless, and felt a cold sensation shiver through me. I couldn't feel anything else, no emotion, no pain, no wind or ground. All I could feel was that chill and it went to my very core.

"It's done man." I heard Leon say. "She's avenged."

I looked at him and nodded hazily and he grabbed my arm. I couldn't even face any of these people. I had just murdered some boy I knew nothing about in exchange for supplies. Leon dragged me out of the barn and apologised to everyone as he lead me back towards our camp.

We had gotten at least five minutes away from the barn when I heard the footsteps following us. Leon let go of me and whirled around, pulling out his machete and watching as Shane approached from behind. "What the hells wrong with him? Shouldn't he be celebrating?"

"He just took a human life Shane, Jesus, what are you following us for?" Leon asked him.

"I just wanted to hear about the attack on his cousin." Shane asked him.

"Why?" I groaned distantly, looking at him hazily. "Why... Why would... why would you want me to relive it... _again_. It's played through my mind enough Shane." I said to him, my voice rising as emotions suddenly started coming back to me. "Go back to you fucking camp and stay out of my emotions you freak." I told him before stalking off towards the bush with Leon in tow.


	3. One Hell Of A Day

**Some chapters will jump a few days. Just a friendly warning. I appreciate any reviews and comments you have about the story. I have a plan about where I'd like to go, but I am open to any suggestions and ideas you have about the story's direction. **

**Stay Cool :)**

**Two days later: 3.32pm**

"What the hell do you mean!?"

Leon looked at me with a brief glimpse of frustration before the panic set back in. "Surrounded? As in we can't get out..." He said slowly. "Stairs are now officially blocked inside and there are hundreds of them down on the ground."

"Hundreds? You're sure?" I asked him with wide eyes.

"Look for yourself if you want." He said, gesturing to the edge of the building.

We had been sitting on the roof of the supermarket for at least ten minutes now and our situation was not looking any less dire. We had managed to bring up six bags of food and other supplies before we had to close the door behind the walkers and wedge it shut. We hadn't gone too far from Rick's farm, perhaps a couple of towns over, and then we had seen the supermarket. Now only twenty minutes later my Jeep was surrounded by flesh eating assholes and I was stranded on the roof of a three story building. _Times like these really make me pissed off at whatever caused this bullshit._

"What the fuck are we gonna do?" I asked Leon suddenly, allowing a touch of desperation to enter my voice.

He looked at me in shock and was about to speak when we both heard the metal door creak and the wedges we had used spun out of the top and bottom of the door. He lifted his rifle to his sights and fired a muffled shot. Walker's came streaming out of the door and I stood as swiftly as I could and drew both my tomahawk and combat knife from their holsters. I ducked under a walker's lunge and slammed my knife into his forehead as I moved past him. The next walker went down with a bullet to the head from Leon's rifle.

"Leon! Close that god damn door!" I yelled to him as I swerved to the left and swung my tomahawk sideways into another walker's face.

Leon set off to circle around the horde of walkers that were all making their way towards me. I stabbed another walker in the top of the head and pushed the next one away with my right foot. I removed the knife from its skull and delivered two swift strikes with the axe that put down two walker's that had found themselves around me. Suddenly I was pushed off of my feet and a walker landed on top of me, there was blood dripping from his mouth and it fell just under my eye as I slid my knife up and under his chin, killing him on top of me. I struggled to my feet and spun as I stood up. A walker grabbed my arm from the side and Leon shot it as quickly as he could. My knife fell from my left hand as the walker dragged on my arm. I was forced to jar my shoulder into another walker's chest as it ran at me and it was instantly flat on its back, snarling on the ground. I planted my axe into its head and stood back up.

There were only three walker's left standing and Leon went back to struggling with the door as more walkers pushed against him. I smashed the blunt end of the axe across one of the walker's faces, felling him like a tree before I picked my knife back up and attempted one of the left handed throws that I had been practising. The knife stuck itself into the walker's brain and it dropped dead and I gave myself a quick, interior pat on the back as I grabbed the last walker's hair and hacked at its head with multiple severe swings. I kept hacking away as my rage got the better of me and I could feel some of the frustration and tension easing from my body.

"Eric! For fucks sake, it's dead. Come and help me!" Leon demanded angrily.

I panted manically as I left the mashed walker's corpse and ran to my friend's aid, pushed my entire weight against the door. Leon reapplied the wedges as swiftly as he could in three sides of the door this time, pulling another out of his carry bag, using the butt of my axe and I was relieved to see that it was holding better than it had last time. I relaxed my weight and pushed myself off of the door. Leon was staring at me with a strange glare as I wandered past him, grabbing my tomahawk back and walking to the edge of the supermarket roof.

I saw the vehicle before I heard it, and I saw the two men in the back with assault rifles. It was a Ute and it was ploughing towards the town in a hurry. I started waving to them from the roof and as they reached the edge of town I heard them skid on the breaks. Leon came running over and watched with me, a look of hope on his face. I heard them yelling to each other down on the road and they continued on towards the supermarket in haste. _Don't leave us, don't leave us._ That door would bust open again and would keep doing so until the two of us were dead from walkers or exhaustion.

The Ute ploughed straight into the collection of walkers that were attempting to get inside the supermarket and blood and guts covered the hood of the vehicle. The men in the car were more visible now. The man in the passenger seat was dirty, dry bloodstains splattered his loose white singlet and he wore an open, short-sleeve, black, button-up shirt with khaki green cargo pants and black work boots. The driver was South American; I had never been acute enough to distinguish which nationality was which. He had a trimmed black beard and a small round head. He had an angry and troubled look in his eye, the two men in the back of the Ute were black, one of them much bigger than the other. I could see a bow on the bigger man's back but he carried a scoped automatic rifle that he was firing into the remaining walkers.

"We'll distract 'em!" The redneck called out of the passenger window in a raspy voice. "Get to your Jeep and clear it, meet us at the south edge of town, by the welcome sign." He called out as the men in the back slayed the walkers around them and they slowly lead them away from the supermarket.

Leon took no time in following the man's orders and he handed me his rifle. "Watch my back." He grunted as he drew the machete from the sheath that he had clipped to his thigh with two belts.

He climbed down the side and dropped onto the roof of the entranceway. I looked down the scope and looked at the Jeep that was parked very close to the entranceway; there were roughly seven walkers around it that I could see. I looked back at Leon and he nodded to me through the scope. _He wants me to go first_. I realised and I looked back at the group of walkers, I rested my elbows on the ledge of the stone handrail and the sights steadied up. I aimed at the walker that was nearest to Leon and blew its head off with the pull of a trigger. Leon rushed at the edge of his roof and leaped off the side. He landed heavily and threw himself into a roll as he hit the ground. He came back up and grabbed a walker by the throat, pinning it against the door of the Jeep and pushing his machete through its forehead. I smiled as I shot down a walker that was close to him. I took a deep breath and exhaled as I saw more crowding around him and as all my breath left my lungs I fired four shots in quick succession. Three walkers went down and one was only shot in the shoulder. Leon had turned around by then and he was jumping on top of the hood of the Jeep, the suspension was raised high enough that the walkers weren't a real danger to him and he proceeded to stabbing them from above.

I shot as many as I could before Leon killed them all but I had never been as good with a scoped weapon as he was, I was better up close. I started to drop the shopping bags down to him as he loaded them into our packed Jeep. I had done a bit of cage fighting back when we lived in Kentucky and to be any good at that you had to learn some form of mixed martial art. I hadn't gotten too deep into the training but had won my fair share of fights and lost a few too but those that I didn't win, I learned from. I taught myself that you are only as powerful as your ability to protect yourself and I had made that idea a huge part of my life. It was part of the reason why Rochelle's family had never liked me. I had a reckless nature, a disregard for authority and the morals of society. But when all the stuff had gone down with her family... and me and Leon had been forced out of Kentucky... I had grown up, I had learned about the realities of life.

I changed... for the better. I was going to do it right. That's why I had gotten my job at the sheriff's office, I had decided to become a policeman. I wanted to bring Rochelle into my new life... and our child... _my son... or my daughter..._ I thought to myself. I finished climbing down as Leon stored the last bag and I kept the rifle as he drove us out to where the men in the Ute had said to meet them.

Sure enough when we reached the sign, the four men were there, sitting and standing next to the vehicle. I suddenly noticed the redneck man's arm, his hand had been removed and someone had put _something _on his stump that had a knife attached to the end of it. He smirked as I stared at his hand and the other men chuckled.

"Get caught in the cookie jar?" I asked him with a smug grin.

"Always." He grunted with a chuckle. "You owe us a saviour's tax."

"Got some food, and some gas you can have... couple of batteries. Everything else we need."

"Hows about that rifle?" The Latino man said, nodding at Leon.

"Try it." Leon said softly and menacingly.

The large black man with the bow on his back took a step towards them and I stepped in his way. "Hey woah woah!" The redneck yelled with a laugh. "Are we getting off on the wrong foot?"

I stared up at the archer's face confidently. "Think so."

"We'll take what we can get huh guys... I kinda like these boys." He said, looking at both of them with his amused, dark eyes.

"Get them some shit." I said to Leon quickly. He rushed to the Jeep and started packing them up some stuff.

"You guys scouting?" The redneck asked him.

"We ain't with any group." I said to him strongly.

"Just the two of you!?" He asked as he laughed once again. "Those are four of the biggest balls I ever heard of."

The other men laughed along with him and I smiled at them sarcastically. "You seem like a capable guy. The both of you do." He said loudly, looking at Leon. "We could use people like you back at our camp."

I looked the men up and down, it was clear what kind of group they were in, hell I wouldn't be surprised if they were the group Randall had been with. Thinking about the boy made me cringe slightly and I coughed, trying to cover up my discomfort. "We don't need no group." I said simply.

"There's someone I'm looking for. You come across many people in your travels?" The redneck asked.

"I'm gonna need to know a bit more about you before I tell you anything about anyone. Unless you wanna know about us." I added at the end, trying to stay polite.

"Why only you?" He asked curiously.

"Cos I know I ain't got nothing to be scared of." I said with a chuckle.

The men all laughed at Merle and he smiled. "Your balls get any bigger your not gonna be able to walk." He said as he laughed.

Leon brought over the bag with the supplies in it and laid it at the Latino's feet. "Well there we are." I said with a grin, turning and walking back towards the jeep. "Business concluded. Gentlemen..." I said, turning to face them again. "Been a pleasure. Thanks for the save, good luck to you."

Leon chuckled and followed me to the Jeep. The redneck ran after him. "Come on man..." He said, he sounded desperate and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Who you looking for? Family?" I asked him from the driver's seat.

"My brother." He said sadly.

"What's you're last name?" I asked him with a suspicion on my mind.

"Dixon. Merle Dixon." He said swiftly.

"You're shitting me." Leon said, turning away and looking out his window.

"You looking for Daryl?" I asked him with a grin.

Merle smiled widely at him. "Yeah, you know where he is?"

"Three days ago, a farm near the highway about two days away. I don't know any back way but the way I do know has plenty of walker's roaming around, it may take longer than you think." I said to him as calmly as I could.

"I got a map. Would you... would you mark where he is?" He asked me directly and bluntly.

I nodded and took the map and pen out of his hands. I located the road that all the farms were attached to and marked the location. "You know he's with a group?"

"Is that the group with Officer Friendly?" He asked with a smirk. "Rick Grimes... He did this to me." Merle said, holding up his missing hand.

I could hardly believe it, Rick wouldn't do anything that savage to someone. But I hid my reaction well. "I got no idea who that is. I met with their group and did them a favour in trade for some supplies. I met your brother then."

"Thanks a bunch for the info." He said as the rest of the men mounted into the Ute. "You should reconsider my offer. Woodbury's one of the safest places left around."

"Woodbury huh? That little town to the southeast?" I asked him curiously.

"We walled it off. It's safe. We got tonnes of people." He said proudly.

I grinned at him with fake sincerity. "Well if we are ever in a jam we will certainly swing by and see what's what." I lied.

Merle nodded before getting into the truck with the others and driving off towards the north. Leon turned and looked at me. "He's gonna go attack the farm."

"And?" I said. Starting the Jeep and putting it in gear.

"Don't you care what happens to them?" He asked concernedly.

"You're the one who said I can't run off trying to solve everyone else's problems." I said to him harshly as I turned onto the road and kept driving south down the long straight.

"That wasn't going to be their problem until you made it..." Leon said accusingly and quietly.

"The man wants to find his brother Leon." I said to him sharply.

We remained silent the rest of the drive. _What the hell is happening to us?_

**Later that night: 6.24pm**

The gas station was one of those lonely ones that were between towns with no other commercial or residential buildings for miles. We were glad for the lucky find as the sun was going down and we weren't relishing the though of camping in an open field. We left the Jeep right next to the door as usual. I nodded to Leon and he swung the glass double doors right open. I honked on the horn on the steering wheel over and over before leaving my hand pressed on it, creating a loud piercing screech. The moans of the walkers in the building were audible when I released the horn and we both saw only a few were inside. I drew my bow and nocked an arrow and Leon went inside first with his knife at the ready. He tripped the first one over and as he bent down to finish it off I fired an arrow over him into the next one's head. I swiftly nocked another arrow and noticed a walker was too close to me, coming from the side. I grabbed the arrow from the string and pushed it as deep as I could into the walker's head before ripping it out and stringing the arrow once again and firing at the last remaining walker as Leon lowered another dead one to the ground, ripping his knife from the back of its head.

Leon got his torch out and shined it inside the station and the main room was clear. But I could hear scrambling in the back. Leon had already heard it. "Watch the doors. I got it." He said, replacing his knife with the machete and shining his torch down the hallway as he headed down to the main office. I closed the doors and ran a hat stand through the handles, locking it shut. I ran towards the room where Leon had gone and found him pinned against the wall getting punched in the ribs by a live person. The man was grunting heavily as he pummelled Leon.

I only just noticed the man swinging a baseball bat at my head from the side and I shimmied backwards, the metal bat, clanking against the ground. I kicked out at the batsman and he held his groin and fell to the ground. I laughed internally at his pain but then the other man dropped Leon onto the ground as he coughed and groaned and came at me. I suddenly noticed the young girl sitting over the body of a man who had a knife sticking out of his stomach crying her eyes out, unable to comprehend what was happening around her.

Then when I saw the girl had her shirt ripped apart and her bra exposed and there were bruises around her neck I lost control. The man swung at me with his right hand and with my left hand I swiftly pulled the knife from it's sheath and cut his hand before he could connect with my face. He yelped with pain as I slashed his bicep and he stumbled back, I impaled his shoulder and stuck him three more times in the chest before stabbing him through the skull. I looked up and saw the bat flying up at my face. I tried to stand but the bat connected with my chest. The wind rushed out of my lungs like a tidal wave and I felt myself gasping as I tripped over a broom and smashed against the wall. I fell onto my ass against the wall and the man stood above me with his bat raised, ready to deliver a savage swing.

I was trying to get to my feet before I felt blood splat over my face. My vision was blurred and my eyes stung. I wiped the blood away and blinked as my eyes were still wet and stinging. I found myself hurt no worse and tried to find out what had happened. My vision slowly came back and I saw an arm lying on the ground. It was an arm... just an arm... no body or anything, and Leon was kneeling over the batsman slamming the machete further and further into the top of his skull, yelling manically as he went. _He feels it like I do... He understands_. I thought in melancholy as I stared at the arm and then at the young girl who was crying and looking at them with wide frightened eyes.

"I'm Eric." I said as I panted. Leon took it as a signal and stood up guiltily.

"Leon." He muttered.

She passed out then and I ran to where she was lying. I felt her head and she had a fever like I had never felt before. She wasn't bitten. But she appeared to be getting over one of the worst flu's I had encountered.

**Later on that night: 11.12pm**

"She still not awake?" Leon asked me as I re entered the office.

"The meds brought the fever down. She still just needs sleep." I said, staring at the body of the man that the bandits had killed. The knife was out of his stomach and he had a fresh bullet hole in his head. Leon had made sure the man wasn't getting back up when I took the girl away.

"Her dad?" Leon asked.

"I wouldn't know man. I'm sure we'll know by morning." I said confidently.

"She'll be good by then?" Leon asked curiously.

"If she isn't then it's likely she won't be good again." I said gravely. "Flu could've already done too much harm... _that_ mixed with the starvation; I wouldn't give her high chances."

Leon chuckled. "But it's worth a try."

"Indeed it is." I said sitting down next to him and sighing as he handed me a can of soda. "Thanks..." I said staring at him intently. "Are you okay bro?"

"Why won't you talk about Rochelle?" He asked me again.

I looked away out the window as her face formed itself in my mind and a sad smile crossed my features. "She looks like her you know. When me and her were that age... Almost spitting image." I said, referring to the girl we had found. "Me and Ro... We were... _closer_... than I lead on."

"That much I gathered." Leon said softly.

"I was planning to move her in with us... at King County." I said sadly. "Was gonna pick her up about a week and a half ago."

"Oh... well... Fuck, I'm sorry man." He said as he looked at my grave face.

"I loved her. I wish I didn't sometimes, I wish I had never learned what love truly is... but I did love her, with everything I had. This girl... I need to do this man... protect her." I said, looking at the ground.

"She isn't Ro..." He said carefully.

"I know that Leon... I'm not looking for someone to fuck... Christ..." I said frustratedly.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just mean... your not accomplishing anything by looking after this girl... its got nothing to do with Ro."

"If you don't wanna help her then you can be on your way." I said to him strongly and emotionally.

"You don't mean that." Leon said looking at me with a grin. I didn't move or say anything. "You don't." He assured himself.

I got up and walked back to where the girl was resting and sat by her side.

"_What will the yard look like?" She asked when she finished giggling._

"_However you want it to look, it'll be like your own little realm to rule." I said to her with a wide grin._

_She snorted with laughter. "Yea, the realm of pot and cow shit. And I shall be their queen." She said in excitement._

_I laughed at her before I pulled her towards me and kissed her forehead. "Don't ever let me go Eric... Please, I don't want us to leave this motel room ever."_

"_I promise you baby... we'll be together for ever." I told her as I kissed her on the lips._


	4. The Good Choice And The Bad

**The girl that they saved in the last chapter is my third main character O.C, this chapter is more about getting to know her. With a bit more storyline thrown in. There will be more O.C's that join the crew eventually, and like any great walking dead story they will always be at danger of being killed off so watch and wait.**

**This chapter is Eric and Leon asking Rea to joint them and the beginning of their long mission to try and find a safe home for their people. **

**Stay cool.**

**The next morning: 7.13am**

"_There wasn't a time when I was out on the job that I wasn't ready to put my life on the line for any given victim." Rick said as we got back into the police cruiser with our lunch, he began driving to the car park that we usually sat in and I smiled at him curiously. "What?" He said looking at me._

"_Why?" I asked him._

"_What do you mean?" He said in genuine confusion._

"_Why do you risk your life for strangers?" I asked him, the question had been on my tongue since I began the job, but saying it made me seem weak in my mind._

"_Everyone has their doubts at the beginning, and you never fully appreciate the concept until you save a life..." He said distantly._

"_I don't know if I could do it." I said, looking at the floor of the car as we pulled up in the car park and he rifled through his bag of lunch._

_He looked me up and down and grinned. "You could do it." He confirmed._

"_Just like that? You can just tell?" I asked him in shock._

"_Yeah." He said with a big fat grin._

"Mister!" I heard as my shoulder shook violently. My hand instantly snaked around whatever was grabbing me and I heard the girl whimper. I opened my eyes properly and her big green eyes were staring down at me, upside down. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..."

"I should be sorry hon." I said softly as I sat up and rubbed my eyes, releasing her hand.

"I wanted to say thank you." She sniffled. It was obvious she had been crying.

"I know that we don't really know each other. And my hope is you'll give me and my friend the chance to get to know you... But if you ever... ever... need to talk about what happened... I ah... I've been known to be a good listener." I said awkwardly.

She smiled at me sadly. "Was he your father?" I asked her.

"My step-father." She whimpered. "I didn't know my real father, what he looked like... anything." She said slowly, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"What happened?" I asked her, sitting up more and leaning against the counter behind me.

She sat next to me on the mattress and pushed her light brown hair behind her ear nervously. "Me, my mom, my little brother and my step-father were staying at a town a few miles way in our Kombi." She said, sniffling again. "Me and Hugh woke up and my mom and my brother were gone. Hugh tracked them here and these men had already killed them. They killed him..." She whimpered.

"I can only imagine how you feel, I could never have any idea about the pain. My family was dead to me since I was ten years old." I told her truthfully. "Did anything else happen?" I asked her carefully.

"They started to... you know... but one of em started having some fit thing and they were about to start when you guys came in. The rest is a bit blurry." She said nervously, looking at the ground.

I looked at her with as tender a face as I could. "I know you remember what you saw." I told her simply and casually. "I know the way we handled those men... it seems... drastic. We've been through a fair bit of shit lately and I know that doesn't excuse our behaviour but I hope it at least explains why we reacted the way we did. And if we had walked in while they were... _abusing_... you, then it would have been a whole lot worse."

She smiled and looked up at me with wide eyes. "You saved my life, both of you. I can't ever repay you."

"It was our pleasure. So that was your Kombi outside with the supplies in it?" She nodded at me nervously. "How old are you hon?" I asked her suddenly.

"I'm thirteen." She said, looking at him awkwardly.

"I'm nineteen." I countered. "What's your name?"

"Rea... Jamison... And you?" She asked with a bit more confidence.

"Eric Paxton. Where are you from?"

"My mother told me that my father was a cop in Texas. My mother is from Columbia and my stepfather owned a hotel in Atlanta." She replied quickly.

"Your ma jump the border?" I asked her with a smirk.

She laughed. "Yep." She responded. "What's your story? If you don't mind me asking."

"I was a high school drop out, worked in a series of jobs since I left. Lived all over the southern states. I was training to become a cop in King County, Georgia when the turn happened. Me and Leon been living together since we was eight years old." I told her briefly. _She'll know the whole truth eventually_.

"That's cool, that you guys are so loyal." She commented.

"What are your plans...? I mean... If you want... You can, you know... come with us." I said, far more nervously than I had hoped to.

"I won't be a burden. I can help, however I can." She said, looking at me intently from right beside me. I got a flash of Rochelle's face and looked away with a cringe.

"It don't matter, burden or not... your one of us now." I told her with a grin and she hugged me suddenly, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Thank you. Honestly, thank you with all my heart. I won't let you down." She said as she started getting emotional again.

The hug felt awkward and weird at first but I slowly relaxed into it when I realised they were two separate distinct people and I hugged her back and she relaxed in my arms. "I see you two are getting to know each other." I heard Leon say from behind us in the main office doorway.

"Rea Jamison... Leon Wolcott. My best friend and brother." I told her proudly. "I've just told the little lady that she'll be joining us."

"And what a joy it will be." He said with a seemingly genuine smile as he approached her and ruffled up her hair. She smiled up at him. "I can't wait for a chance for _us_ to get to know each other."

She looked overwhelmed with joy and it made me even more pissed off when Leon suddenly asked her. "So the men who attacked you... do you know who they were?"

"Leon... come on... she jus..."

"No it's okay Eric." She insisted to me. "Before my mother and brother were kidnapped and killed a man visited us and told us to come to his camp at the cost of merging our supplies with his own. Hugh didn't want to give up what we had."

"Did he say where abouts the camp was that he came from?" I asked her suddenly as a thought crossed my mind.

"Wood-something... I don't quite remember." She answered truthfully.

"Woodbury." I whispered to myself.

"That was the one..." She said with sudden realisation.

"Was the man a hillbilly with a blade for a hand?" Leon asked her, kneeling beside her.

"No... I never saw anyone like that." She said, shaking her head. "The man was... tall and... handsome. He was wearing all black, he hard dark brown hair that was going slightly grey in places. He had quite a _big _stature too." She said, slowly trying to remember everything she could. "I heard one of his men call him Blake."

"Well neither Blake nor hillbillies will take you while we are looking out for ya so rest easy Rea. We leave at midday." Leon told her softly. "Your body's still trying to get rid of that flu." He pointed out to her.

"Yeah, get out of here before you give us all cooties." I told her as she strolled back to her bed with a laugh.

Leon went and sat on a chair behind the counter and I could hear him put his feet up behind me. I rubbed at my eyes again and reached over to where my jacket lay on the floor next to the mattress. I pulled my already low packet of cigarettes out of the pocket and lit one up gradually. I put my head back as I breathed in the smoke and exhaled with joy as a smile stretched across my face.

I heard Leon light up a cigarette too and I grinned at him as well. "Woodbury. Sounds like a bad idea."

"I knew from the moment I saw Merle in charge of that group. Whatever their camp is... It isn't gonna be around for long. One way or another." I said briefly.

"So now we got a life under our protection... _Someone's _genius idea... what do we do now, stay on the road? Get ready to get caught on another rooftop?" He asked rhetorically, in annoyance.

I took another drag on my smoke and chuckled. "You wanna join a group just say the word man, I'm good either way."

"It would be smarter don't you think? Given that we have a young teen girl in our care." Leon said with a hearty chuckle.

"You want to go back to Rick?" I asked him.

"How long do you think they will last? now that you've unleashed Merle onto them." He said accusingly.

"Give it a god damn rest Leon..." I said impatiently.

"I mean I'm just saying... There ain't much choice around now. A town of murderers or a farm full of people who are ignorant to how unsafe they are." He said, shaking his head. "And I'm not just talking about the threat of Merle's arrival. They aren't prepared for _anything_. They were sleeping outside in tents." He said in disbelief.

"Yeah." I said quietly. "I thought that Rick would be smarter than that."

Leon sighed and it was a while before he decided to speak again and when he did he sounded tired and as if he didn't really give a shit anymore. "So we just keep going until we find a good group?"

The life on the road was wearing him down and it was easy for me to see. "Yeah." I muttered, stubbing out my cigarette and struggling to my feet off of the mattress. I reached into the backpack beside the bed and pulled out a white, tight, long sleeve thermal t-shirt and picked out the blue and black plaid shirt that I had ripped the sleeves off of. I changed from my black sweatpants into a pair of white and black camouflage, cargo pants and pulled my pair of light brown work boots.

Rea came back out to the main room and went straight outside. Leon jumped to his feet and grabbed his rifle from where it was leaning on the wall. He followed her outside as I put my backpack on the counter and filled it back up with everything I had taken out for the night. I began rolling my mattress up and Leon and Rea came back inside. She had a small bag of things and she silently handed both of them a can of tuna before moving into the back room with her bag.

Leon ripped his can open and found a plastic fork in his own bag before digging in, I followed suit hungrily and we finished up just as Rea came back into the room in her change of clothes. Rea was now dressed in a pair of tight black jeans with light blue and white converse shoes. She had a loose fitting white singlet hanging off of her skinny upper body and a dark grey puffa jacket over top. She tied her hair back in a ponytail and had a knife with a fist grip in a holster that was wrapped around her right calf muscle.

Leon was wearing a simple black singlet with slim, light grey jeans and white and black sneakers. His jaw line stubble had begun to grow into a full blown beard and he was looking more and more rugged by the day. I smiled at my 'group' and pulled the hood of my 'vest' over my head to cover my bright hair.

"We ready to rock?" I asked them both and they nodded to me confidently. "We'll transfer a few supplies into the Kombi, I'll drive ahead in the Jeep and you two follow me in the Kombi." I said.

"You sure we should take two vehicles?" Leon asked him curiously.

"We're going to have too many supplies to carry in one vehicle, we can barely fit anything else in the Jeep." I pointed out to him. "It's worth the gas loss in my books."

Leon nodded to him and looked at Rea. "Pack all the sleeping gear into the Kombi. Me and Eric will get the stuff out of the Jeep."

"No problem." She said as she knelt down and began rolling up my mattress. Me and Leon wandered outside and surveyed our surroundings. For once there were absolutely no walkers around and I was relieved, it seemed that every time we went outside we were attacked these days. It felt as though there were more and more walkers filling the earth and eventually nowhere would be safe.

I opened the back of the Jeep and took two of the gun bags to the Kombi that was parked relatively nearby. Leon was lugging food bags and most of the gas cans that we had taken from the shed at home. When the supplies were more evened out we had a quick inventory check before hitting the road. I told Leon a few things about horn signals and such and we set off through the pine trees.

**Later that night: 7.55pm**

I could see Rea in my view all the while, I told her to stay just ahead of me as we cleared out the place out. She held her knife at the ready and I had already witnessed her stab two walkers to death. It amazed me that she could actually do it. For such a skinny little thing she had powerful arms and a strike that wasn't shaken by fear or hesitation. I had my own knife and tomahawk at the ready behind her as she opened the door. No sounds came from inside and I waved her in. She looked at me and nodded. _Clear_.

"That's that then." I said with a relieved grin, exhaling deeply.

She smiled at me and slipped past me through the doorway brushing against me. "Good work." She said as she passed and began the walk back downstairs.

The farmhouse was big... More space than we needed but the comfort was welcome. There hadn't been many walker's inside or out which showed that this place was practically untouched. I could recognise a couple of the walkers from the photos that were still up on the walls. _This place is promising for loot_. I realised I hadn't heard from Leon in a bit and decided to follow Rea back downstairs. I passed by one of the bodies that she had put down and it gave me a half-smile. Leon wasn't anywhere downstairs and I had a look out the windows at the vehicles only to find Rea compiling all the stuff they'd need for the night. I saw the door to the basement was open and muttered curses to myself about his recklessness.

As I went down the stairs I listened out for anything that might be going on... but there was nothing to hear. I descended the stairs as silently as I could and turned the corner and my breath caught in my throat. Leon was standing silently looking at two bodies that were hung from the rafters. They both had two bullet holes in their head that looked fresh to me. Leon must have put them down.

"You good?" I asked him.

He stood in silence and I didn't see him move at all. I waited for a response for another couple of minutes before I turned to go check on Rea. "You think our families would have survived this shit?"

"I couldn't care less." I told him instantly.

He looked at me and his eyes were welled up. "Do you really mean that?"

"I do..." I said softly, looking at the floor. "Even if we did want to know it would be a stupid idea to try and find out."

"Mine probably would have... you know... given up." He said waving a hand at the couple with ropes around their necks. "They couldn't even handle taking care of a child. Took the easy way out of that as well..." He said, sniffling.

"You were the family I chose Leon." I told him, my voice shaking. "And not once in my entire life have I regretted that choice."

He looked at me as he cried and I smiled as tears came to my eyes too. "Thank you man." He said quietly, he came straight to me and hugged me.

"C'mon this is feeling a little gay. Let's go see what mischief Rea's up to." I told him, releasing him with a smirk.

When we went back upstairs I found that it had gotten a whole lot darker, a whole lot quicker. "Where is she?" Leon asked, looking around.

"In here!" I heard her call from the back of the house. "Come take a look at this!" She said urgently.

We rushed around to the back dining room where she was leaning on a table looking out a window at a distant glow. "That's a fire." I said in a panic.

Me and Leon looked at each other at the same time and I smashed my hand into the wall in frustration. I looked back at him angrily and he pointed at the garage. "Dirt bike in there. Full tank." He confirmed.

I ran to where Rea had dumped my bag and heard them talking as I strapped my weapons back around my mid-section. "Where are you...? Where is he going?" She asked Leon.

"It's not your problem little buddy. Eric will deal with it and he'll be back before dawn." He said to her as I began my walk to the garage. Leon grabbed my wrist suddenly and I looked at him. "Won't you?" He insisted.

"Don't be scared Rea, I can't die." I said with a wink. I set off at a run towards the garage and found the keys in the bike already. I started it up and revved the engine to shit before taking off and swirling dust through the air as I took the dirt path around the house and followed the bike trail over the paddock hill where we had seen the fire. It was going to be a long ride to Rick's farm and back and I could only hope that the gas would hold for the entire journey. As I rode further through the farm I noticed there were hardly any walkers roaming around until I had gotten so far that the farm had turned to bush.

Every time I had ridden a dirt bike through the forest like this I had been going a tad less fast. But as I weaved my bike through the trees at a dangerous velocity I suddenly wished that I had done it like this every time. The rush was something out of this world and I felt all the fear, panic, stress and sadness eased from my heart and all I could think of was the way my blood boiled as I sped my way towards the fire.

It was at least an hour before I found a road, but I recognised it fairly quickly when I saw a familiar car wreckage. I wasn't far from the farm and I could tell by the faint smell of smoke that clung to the fresh air like a tick. I followed the route that we had used last time we were on the road and I found the turnoff to the farm in minutes. I had to stop when it came into sight. _Fuck there's vehicles there_. I thought as I saw headlights up ahead. The instinct inside of me was struggling with whether to make myself know. But when I heard yelling coming my way I knew that it was too late for that.

I recognised Merle Dixon as I drove closer to the vehicles. He was running towards me. I jumped off of the dirt bike and it cluttered to the ground heavily as it still attempted to drive. I landed with a roll and Merle opened his arms up as I came closer.

"What the hells the..." He began to say.

I smashed my left fist into his nose twice before my knee came up and smashed into his ribs. My left hand snaked forward again and clutched to his hair, I smashed a head-butt into his eyebrow and felt blood stain my forehead. I smashed two savage right hooks into his cheek and jaw before I felt a crack to the back of my head.

I turned and saw the Latino man that I had seen yesterday readying for another punch. I kicked out at his knee and heard it crack. He fell to the ground with a yelp and I smashed my boot into his knee two more times.

I turned back on Merle and leaned over him as he tried to re-gather himself. "What the fuck did you do!?" I yelled to him.

The barn was burning and there were hundreds if not more walkers wandering around the entire property. None of the group that had lived here could be seen. I looked back at Merle and he suddenly lunged for me. I smashed another right and left punch into his face and he fell back to the ground with a chuckle.

"I didn't do shit." He yelled. "Was like this when we got here." He grunted.

I stood up off of him and he got up and smirked at me through bleeding gums. "Not to say that I wouldn't have done worse if I got here first."

"Leave them alone." I told him angrily. "You find your brother and then leave them the fuck alone." I said as I walked back to my bike. I heaved it back upright and sat on it as I heard the Latino man groaning on the ground. "Haven't they been through enough?" I said, gesturing at the farm.


	5. Thickening the Ranks

**This chapter is the beginning of 'the winter season' between season's two and three. We will watch Eric, Leon and Rea as they begin to try and find somewhere safe to take refuge from the cold.**

**Stay Cool**

**Four days later: 3.10pm**

_I don't even understand how they can have so much fun sometimes_. I thought as I stared at Leon and Rea mucking around in the clothes store, I was standing at the one entrance into the building with my bow at the ready and Leon had blocked off the door into the staff area. I had noticed the days were getting much colder, much, much faster and we had decided that winter was approaching. that had brought us here, one of those discount clothes stores that you sometimes saw in small towns that sold _everything _except branded clothing. One thing I had expected was that I wouldn't have to pay for branded clothing anymore but getting them covered in blood felt somewhat of an insult to their memory.

Leon and Rea started giggling suddenly as she was trying on some of the ridiculous looking Russian snow hats nearby. "This _is_ actually a practical run." I called out to them.

"Cheer up buzz kill." Rea chimed back to me.

I chuckled and shook my head at the ground. One of the walkers on the street looked at me and began walking our way. He was a good thirty metres away, it wasn't the longest shot I had attempted but it sure as hell wasn't easy. The wind had been particularly strong today as well. I judged my shot slowly as he ambled forward at a snail pace. I released the arrow at the end of my breath and cursed myself as it slammed into the walker's chest. I abandoned my post at the door and drew my tomahawk. I ran at the walker and slashed at his face back and forth four times before I let him drop to the ground. I grabbed the arrow out of his chest and breathed deeply as I looked at his mangled face. I went back to the door and stood casually again, pulling out my bow.

"Here." I heard someone grunt behind me and I saw Leon pass me a long iron rod. I closed the front doors and barred them before turning to look into the shop, feeling a whole lot more relaxed now.

"I got you a hat." He said, pulling a bright pink beanie out of his back pocket.

I pushed him into a rack and he chuckled as I walked away. Rea was stuffing clothes into her carry bag and I grinned at her. "Did you actually get something warm?"

"Plenty." She said, opening the bag and showing me numerous hoodies and sweatpants.

"Good girl, you want to help me pick out an outfit?" I asked her. _Will be good to spend some time together_.

"Sure thing." She said excitedly, rushing to put her bag by the door and running back to me. I took off my weapons and removed the black hoodie that I had been wearing. "I saw some really sweet denim jackets down here that would suit you." She said happily as she grabbed my hand and led me around the store.

"Everything suits him... He's a lucky bastard." Leon said as he looked out the windows.

"No point being jealous Leon, some people were just born prettier." I said cheekily.

Rea laughed and nodded at me out of Leon's sights and I held in laughter of my own. She pulled a brown denim jacket with a white woollen collar out of a rack against the wall and I tried it on over my plaid shirt. It fit well and I was glad that it made my arms warm up and feel cosy too. Style didn't matter so much but I still had to have a look in the mirror. When I had finished I found that Rea had been piling clothes next to me to try on and I chuckled as she prattled on about this fashion and that style. It was all white noise to me, I was just glad she felt comfortable enough to be herself around us. I had been worried that she was going to live in fear. _Now _I was just worried that she wasn't grieving enough for her family. But perhaps it was for the best. She had two older brothers now. And I had never had a little sister but I would imagine her being a lot like the girl that was picking out my wardrobe for me.

Out of the things she had grabbed for me I chose a heavy, black, quilted, winter shirt and a pair of woodland camo, thermal-lined cargo pants. I grabbed a few pairs of woollen socks and a couple of extra t-shirts and underwear. I chose the denim coat that she had first picked out for me, another two hoodies and a long, dark blue, duffel coat that reached my knees. I felt satisfied with the collection and we wrapped up on our little shopping trip.

Together we decided that we might as well stay in this town at one of the houses down the side streets. Rea was learning to drive my jeep and I walked as she attempted to follow Leon. She always managed to do better when I wasn't in the car so I was glad to walk in order to be of service. We could pretty much pick any house we wanted, the town was reasonably quiet. In fact the walker I had killed outside the store was only the third I had seen today. Leon stopped at the house at the end of the street, it was single story, unlike most of the others and Rea stalled the Jeep as she tried to bring it to a halt.

"Clutch and brake both if you're going to come to a complete stop." Leon laughed as he got out of the Kombi up ahead of me. I heard her mutter something back scathingly and they both laughed. It was weird how happy and at peace they could feel while the rest of the world was _gone_. But I welcomed it happily.

I could smell something all of a sudden. I noticed that they had stopped also and seemed to be sniffing. Something was cooking, or had been cooked. I ran towards the scent as it led me into the house and I drew my pistol from the armpit holster. I aimed it ahead of me as I rushed through the house looking for signs of life.

"Eric! Come help me check the basement!" He called out.

I went straight to his voice and found him next to a door. I grabbed at the handle and turned it to no avail. "Yeah... it's locked." He said.

I smashed it open with my boot and Leon rushed down the stairs with his rifle raised to his eye line. "Holy shit. Look at this shit man. It's a jackpot." He said, a look of pure joy and excitement controlling his features.

I rushed down beside him and swivelled my head towards where he was pointing happily. _A fucking vault_. "Is that a _fucking_ panic room?" I asked in excitement. I suddenly remembered our situation and frowned. "There is someone inside there." I said sadly.

Leon grimaced and put his hand in his hair in frustration. I descended the steps slowly and approached the large steel wall nervously. "I know... that... that _someone_... is in there." I said hesitantly. "I'm not sure whether you can hear me or not... I just want to let you know that we aren't dangerous. We aren't violent. We are just survivors... like you people." I said slowly and loudly. "We've been on the road... and it's been a struggle. We are tired. We just want a place to rest. If you bring yourself to give us a chance I promise you no one will be in any danger." I said quietly, placing my pistol slowly and carefully on the ground before backing away.

Leon did the same with his rifle and stood beside me clutching his hands together anxiously. Rea came down the stairs and I beckoned her towards me. She ran to me and clutched to my leg as I put a finger to my lips. "Trust me." I whispered quietly.

"You're wrong." I suddenly heard coming from inside. The voice was quiet and muffled, it was a woman's voice, but the words were still audible. "You guys are in danger, constant danger... Because if you try anything... I will not hesitate." The voice said strongly and slowly.

I put my hands in the air and the other two followed suit. We heard a whole lot of noise as metal crunched against metal and the door creaked as it slowly opened.

A woman came out of the vault with a pistol raised at us. She moved closer and clenched tightly to the grip as she looked at us with as menacing a look as she could muster, she was afraid, the tremble in her shoulders and the unsteady aim told me that. I had only to bend down slightly and she could shoot me in fear, I had to play it carefully from here on in or I could cause the death of all of us. The woman was black, she looked to be around her late twenties, it was kind of hard to tell. She had round, big, brown, shiny eyes and her boy was thin and curved. She was wearing a pair of tight black jeans and a singlet. I noticed movement at the door and looked over to see a man walk out of the door. He was _massive_ in stature... imposing to be frank about it. The man instantly made me nervous about out current situation, he was wearing a dark blue beanie and the black stubble on his face was slowly becoming a beard. He looked alot like the woman, most likely siblings. The same round eyes and soft face. But the same level of determination buried behind his eyes. He wasn't afraid like his sister, this was understandable however. I saw a thirty-two ounce claw hammer hanging from his belt and he was wearing a grey t-shirt and brown cargo pants with a black trench coat that reached his knees.

"You looking for shelter?" He asked me as he stood over me threateningly.

"I understand that you feel the need to use your size as a fear factor. But just know... I've knocked out bigger guys than you." I told him, keeping my face as strong and defiant as I could.

"One day we may find out about that boast." He said, looking me up and down with an amused grin. "You guys are welcome to stay, I think I've made clear what will happen if you try anything funny." He said, looking at all three of us as he backed away from me.

"We've gotten off on the wrong foot." I said. "Seems to happen a lot these days... I just want you to know that I really mean you no harm and if there is any way I can help you while we are here you only have to give the word. I don't say this because I want to join you; I just need you to know that we are good people. The last thing we want is trouble." I told him as he started to walk away.

He looked at me and grinned. "The theatrics are necessary these days... I'm Tyreese." He said, removing one of his black gloves and reaching out for a handshake.

"Eric." I said to him, smiling back as I flooded with relief.

"I'm Rea." The girl said as she still clung to my leg, she didn't shake Tyreese's hand, she merely waved, but he didn't seem too surprised.

"Leon." He said as he gripped Tyreese's hand firmly.

"What...? What are you doing?" The woman said, looking at him as she aimed her gun at us with more assertiveness in her movements.

"Jesus Sasha... It's all good. Relax." Tyreese told her encouragingly. "That's my sister Sasha... She'll grow on you; just don't expect it to happen quickly." He said with a chuckle.

She was looking right at me intensely before she lowered the trigger, but i saw the choice in her face, she was actually contemplating shooting me regardless, even if it was just for a second... I laughed as she lowered the gun and pulled the finger at him. "Shut up." She said as she strode back up the stairs, bumping past Leon.

"So what's the deal here?" I asked Tyreese carefully.

"We sleep in the vault... only room enough for two... the rest is storage for supplies or taken by furniture. We use the rest of the house while we're awake and then barricade it all off before we hit the hay. You guys can sleep in the garage, long as you fix the damn door that you busted down" He said tiredly as we all went inside the vault.

It was a sight for sore eyes, simply being in it, even with the door wide open, felt safer than I had felt pretty much since the whole thing went down. "This was one lucky find... Or did you live here?" I asked him curiously.

"We lived next door. Jerry, the guy who lived here, was one of those survivalist fanatics, we found this room loaded with food, water, clothes and a couple of guns. We've been in here since it happened. The foods running out..." He said slowly. "I don't know if we're gonna be able to feed you with our rations. I'm so sorry." He said, looking at the floor apologetically.

"Rea?" I said, the girl was still close to me but she seemed to have relaxed a little bit. "I want you to go see Sasha, introduce yourself. Try and get us in her good books." I said to her with a grin.

She nodded purposefully. One thing I had noticed about Rea was she seemed a whole lot more confident with a task to perform, no matter how pointless it was. When she had sped off towards the stairs I looked back at Tyreese. He seemed as nervous as I was and I chuckled briefly about the role reversal that was happening already. "You and your sister are good people." I stated plainly. "Us three are all good people... But the good get preyed on and toyed with by the strong... or the... not so good." I said awkwardly. "Good people need to stick together. I'm not asking you to decide on the spot Tyreese... But I _am_ suggesting that we make this little grouping that we have tonight a bit more permanent."

Tyreese nodded to me slowly as he contemplated the idea. He didn't _seem_ to have much of a problem with it but then I hardly knew the guy, who knows what was going through his head. In all honesty I had been overly trusting in this situation, we knew _nothing_ about these people. For all we knew they could have stolen the house and had the owner buried in the backyard. But everyone has been forced to do something morally unacceptable since this all began, hell, every day since it happened I had technically committed murder, albeit in self-defence but we were _killing_ none the less.

I had been a fighter before the turn and I had done plenty of things that people would have labelled me as a criminal before I relocated myself to King County but it had been the same _then_ as it was _now_. It had all been about survival... two young boys on our own, living on the streets in flight from our disgraceful, dysfunctional families, walking and stealing cars until we had put enough distance between us and our homes We had been eight years old when we decided enough was enough, Leon had been living with me for three years by then. We got out of home and made a break for it. We lived on the streets and broke into empty houses to survive for the first two years. A family had found us, heard our story and taken us in... It had gone well to begin with, the mother was nice and the kids were young enough that they didn't make too big of an impact on our lives. But the daddy was a preacher, a godly man. He would come home from his church, put his bible on the table and poured himself enough whiskey to intoxicate an elephant. He was heavy and generous with his beltings saying that God had intended for that to be the way that people showed their children the realities of life.

One time he was whipping the both of us, _it was the custom and the agreement, if one of us played up, we'd both suffer for it_. Telling usabout God's plan for children and Leon had snapped at him saying that God can't show children the '_realities of life_' because God didn't exist and if he did he wouldn't speak through a piece of shit like him. The preacher became livid and he smashed his glass over Leon's head. I had lost it and kicked him in the balls before punching him with my tiny-undeveloped hands. Realising we had destroyed our home situation we went back out on the move, narrowly escaping the town police. We had been forced to run and hide in alleyways before we made a break for the edge of town.

After that we got lost in the bush. We were in there for months, eating what we could... _struggling_... to stay alive. Eventually we had found a little lonely cabin, in the middle on nowhere. We decided to stay there and started building a life for ourselves. Leon became a livestock poacher, stealing chickens and pigs and sometimes a few vegetables from various gardens. We learned how to drive and how to shoot, how to hunt, ride horses, pickpocket, steal. I had decided that robbery was a skill I was born into and started knocking over houses and stores. When we were fourteen we received a visit to the cabin from a stranger, he told me that he knew I was pulling off amateur heists and he wanted to give me the opportunity to earn more. It was then that we had unofficially moved into a house that he owned and began to plan and perform robbery jobs. They were small to begin with and we always had help in case something went down. I had been making the plans and usually they went smoothly.

The main reason I was so adept at it was a strong will and patience, I could wait for something for hours without feeling frustration or anger, my observational skills were quite high as well. I continued to do this for a few years, moving from state to state, following the money and losing the heat. I had met Rochelle among those years. She was the daughter of one of my bosses associates. We had a private relationship for a short time that only Leon knew about until she was forced to move away. She returned not a year later and we regained contact. We had kept our relationship private from even Leon then. It had lasted longer this time, always meeting in secret or driving far away to be seen in public. Eventually we had been caught and I had to uproot from Kentucky and hide from the very men I was working for. Luckily I had learned enough to know how to avoid being caught by then and I had cleared out of Kentucky before they could find me, dragging Leon along with me.

We had landed in King County and I had conned my way into the job at the sheriff's office. It was a pathetic story, come to think of it, I always found myself trying to justify myself for what I had done. But crime was crime back then and I had committed a few. Now everything was chaos and I hadn't reverted back to my wild ways. I was glad of that, it was proof to myself that I could be a good person. Leon had never had to have that struggle. Leon had stayed home, the worst he had done was sold pot that we grew on the farm in King County and that we were wholesale buying back in Kentucky. He worked _and_ protected the home front at the same time and I, being the careless thrill-junkie that I was in those days, would be out with a crew gathering intel or robbing a bank or a cash truck.

"Sasha will come round." I heard Tyreese say suddenly, breaking the long silence that had descended while he was thinking. "It's a good idea." He said, standing up and shaking my hand again.

"One big happy family." I said with a grin. "Obviously we are going to have to get to know each other a bit better, but for now it's enough to know that we're all decent folk."

"Amen to that." Tyreese muttered.

"We got two vehicles upstairs." Leon said to him when they shook hands again also. "Absolutely jam-packed with supplies." Tyreese instantly perked up and grinned at them both.

"Food?" He asked.

"Food, weapons, ammo, gas, water, tools, materials. It's like a travelling Wal-Mart." I said with a chuckle.

"Welcoming gifts." Leon added humorously.

"Last gift I got was a book..." He said, looking at them with a nervous grin.

"We should unload the cars, have a sit down... and a talk." I said slowly. Tyreese nodded and Leon lead the way back up the stairs. We could hear Rea and Sasha laughing in the kitchen and I decided that maybe I didn't need to ask her how it was going. Sasha seemed to have trust issues, I had only seen her briefly so that was all I could surmise about her, but soon I would know plenty more. Me and Leon walked ot the door towards the vehicles.

Tyreese stopped and looked back inside. "Sash! We got supplies to unload." He called back.

The five of us unloaded the supplies in under ten minutes and we were all puffing as we plopped down on the couches and seats that were circled around in the garage. They were old and ripped, but they offered more comfort than I had experienced in a hell of a long time. I grabbed my packet of cigarettes out my front pocket and pulled one out with my teeth, gingerly lighting it with my aching arms.

"You don't mind do you?" I said to the two of them as Leon took a cigarette out of my packet.  
They waved away that it was fine and I grinned. "Thank you... so much... really... It was starting to get hard out there." I said to them sincerely.

"Least we could do." Sasha said, she seemed more relaxed now but something was still eating at her. "Why don't you tell us about yourselves?"

"Me and Leon are brothers or as close to that as two people who aren't related can get. We found Rea about five days or so ago. Before all this me and Leon lived up in King County, to the north west. I was a clerk and trainee recruit at the sheriff's office. Leon ran the farm we had at our home." I explained as briefly as possible.

"What about your families?" Sasha asked, with a sad look on her face.

"They're dead. And as far as I'm concerned they've been dead since I was eight." I told them honestly. Leon nodded along.

"We ran away, lived on our own for years. We've been surviving for a long time..." Leon said slowly.

"That's awful... I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for, we wouldn't have it any other way." I said strongly.

"Well _now_ yeah..." Tyreese said. "But _before_? Didn't you ever want to have a home? A real family?"

"Tried it once, didn't pan out. So we tried plan B." Leon explained, I chuckled.

"It's really not a big deal." I said carefully.

They nodded but that sympathetic look still held in their eyes and I saw Leon roll his eyes. "What about you sweetheart?" Sasha asked Rea. "What's your story?"

Rea carefully and bravely explained what had happened to her family and Sasha and Tyreese had become even more sympathetic for her, I grabbed her shoulder as I saw tears welling in her eyes and she hugged into me trying to escape her sobs.

"I'm so sorry to hear all of that happened to you Rea, I truly am." Tyreese said as softly as possible.

"It wasn't _all _bad..." She said, sniffling. "Hugh was violent and useless. As sad as it is I'm relieved that he got killed..." She said with an emotionless face.

"Rea..." I said in shock. "Don't say that!"

"What!?" She asked defensively.

"That man took you on as his own child, he didn't have to do that... Don't ever be glad that _anyone _is dead, it'll make you cold hearted, and from there it will be a big down hill slope." I warned her with a raised voice.

She had a pissed off look on her face and looked at the floor. "Fine!" She sulked.

"You know the last time I saw my father, my _real_ father mind you, he smashed my head through a wall three times and put me in a shed for three days because I broke the T.V aerial." I told her, hearing the two gasp from in front of us, Leon just chuckled next to me. "Your father could have been a lot worse love." I said to her.

"I remember that day, I had to sneak you food because your dad wouldn't let Rory do it." Leon said, a happy, reminiscent smile crossing his face.

"Is that why you left?" Tyreese asked.

"No that was when I was six. He went to prison before he could let me out, my brother Rory did, when he remembered. Apparently my dad had managed to put two guys in hospital a couple nights before and one of them had gone blind when he gouged out their eyes." I said. "Happiest day of my young life."

Leon chuckled again. "We've been used to rough living for a long time. I lived with Eric since I was five years old, and it's never been boring."

"You guys have one hell of a story." Tyreese muttered, almost in disbelief.

"Me and Tyreese have always stuck together, realising life can't happen without support we decided to support each other." Sasha said carefully. "Our story sounds so boring after yours."

"We'll get to know each other gradually anyway, we don't need to get it _all _out in the open straight away... Who would we be without our secrets right?" I said cheerfully.

"I'm feeling good about this." Sasha said, looking at me and Leon. "Don't make me regret it."

"No ma'am." Leon said dutifully.

"Wouldn't dream of it." I said as well.

"One big happy family." Tyreese said with a laugh.

"I've got... a few more questions, before we settle down." I said carefully. "If you don't mind, it's kind of important to me. There's also a couple more things that we've found out that you should know."

"Let's get to it then." Tyreese answered instantly. "What do you wanna know Eric?"

"I'm just wondering... Do you two have any vehicles handy?" I asked them.

Sasha let out an amused chuckle. "Apocalypse was _bad_ timing for us. Both out cars were getting repairs at the mechanics..."

"That's _slightly_... inconvenient." Leon said slowly, the five of them bursting into laughter.

"It's no matter, we have plenty of space." I said after I finished laughing. "Another thing, this one is quite important... Your plan... is it to just stay here, keep stocking up supplies?" I asked them, staring into their eyes trying to gauge their reactions.

They both seemed genuinely unsure when I asked and it was Sasha who replied. "We... don't know... We haven't had any _plan_. We were just happy to have this place."

"Which is perfectly understandable but it brings me to my next point... things that you should know." I said gravely. "I take it you haven't encountered a herd..." I said ominously.

"Herd?" Tyreese asked.

"Of walkers." I explained. "That's what we've been calling them."

"Sounds better than eaters." Tyreese muttered, looking at Sasha who grinned sheepishly. "They roll together?"

"From what we can tell based on what we've seen, a walker will be walking in some direction... any direction... and if another walker even _suspects_ that it is following a noise or a smell it will follow along. The more that are walking in the same direction... the more will join on. Biggest we saw had to be close to five hundred." Leon told them as swiftly as possible.

"They are the biggest threat out there." I warned them, seriously. "A pack that's big enough... could tear an entire town down in a matter of days."

"There aren't many places left in the world that could defend against an attack like that..." Leon said slowly. "And most of them are already taken by groups of people who have found out the same things as us. But the five of _us_... defending _this _place, we'd have a chance, but it wouldn't be a big one."

"Maybe we ought to think about clearing out of here, trying to find somewhere safer." Tyreese said to them, a frightened look had entered his eye, _as it should, herds are no thing to brush off as an inconvenience._

"We can talk about that tomorrow. There isn't any rush, just something for everyone to chew at." I told them calmly. "Couple more things."

Leon knew what they were, we had agreed to share the important things that we knew with people who could potentially become part of our group. "We found out... pretty early on... that it ain't just the bite that turns you."

"Yea scratches too isn't it?" Tyreese asked them curiously.

"Yeah, try not to get scratched... but that's not what I mean." Leon said solemnly

I took a deep breath, the fact was a hard one to contemplate internally, but it was even more difficult to say it externally. "No matter how you die... you turn. Anyone you kill, alive or dead, you _have to_ destroy the brain or else they'll get back up and bite you in the ass."

Tyreese shuffled uncomfortably in his seat and Sasha's eyes were wider than a couple of lakes. "And... you're sure?"

"Our farm was attacked by these three desperate sons of bitches, demanding food, demanding gas, demanding surrender, demanding the roof over our heads, demanding the _god damn_ shirt of our backs...! Leon shot one of them in the neck when they wouldn't go away. The other two ran off and we went outside to start burying the corpse. While we were digging the hole he woke up and tried taking Leon's Achilles tendon out with his teeth. I cut off half his head with the shovel... we checked for bites, scratches... he was squeaky clean besides the bullet in his neck." I said to them sadly.

"We left the farm after that." Leon carried on. "And for the first couple of weeks those same two guys followed us around trying to surprise us and kill us, steal our supplies. Eric here killed the both of them eventually and we saw them turn. It wasn't no isolated incident... When you die, you turn." He said, trying to drill the fact into their heads. Rea seemed equally surprised and scared when Leon had finished talking and I held her to me again, she was shivering with fear.

"Nothing's going to happen to you." I whispered to her softly as I stroked her back tenderly.

She relaxed in my arms and wiped her eyes. "I know that this is heavy shit... But there's one more thing." I told them carefully.

"Lay it on us... It can't be much worse than _that_." Sasha said.

"That's a matter of opinion I guess." I said nervously. "The men... who attacked Rea, killed her family... they work for some asshole we've heard about called Blake, at _Woodbury_. You know where that is?"

"Heard of it, never been there... It survived?" Tyreese replied.

"Yeah... apparently there's a fair few survivors there. The man in charge, he's an evil son of a bitch, no doubt about it, only kind of person that could do a thing like that to a little girl and her family. You need to know that people... they are just as dangerous as walkers nowadays. Anyone who's survived is either lucky, strong, skilled or savage. The more brutal their struggle, the deeper into insanity they fall. As scared as we are of walkers and what they can do to us... we need to be more frightened of the people we come across and what _they_ could do to us... People have wider imaginations than walkers." I told them slowly and sadly. _How could the world come to this, where shit like that is necessary. Well... lucky I never believed in God... cause he'd sure have a lot of things to answer for if I did._

"Thank you Eric... Leon..." Tyreese said genuinely. "This information, could be the most valuable thing we've found since this all began."

"If we _are _going to leave this place... I need you to be fully aware of the dangers out there... I need you to be careful and always alert. Life on the road is difficult... But not impossible. And the reward... a whole lot sweeter." I told them, grinning widely. "Now who wants to cook the first family dinner?"


	6. Chaos Is Only The Beginning

**For those of you who started reading this for the Beth/OC storyline, I'm sorry to say that it will be a while before we get to that. This winter season is a premise for the changes that I wanted for Season three.**

**Eric Leon and Rea have joined up with Tyreese and Sasha in their neighbours panic room. Now the five of them will set off into the world together seeking safer refuge and fellow survivors.**

**Stay Cool**

**Two Days Later: 10.04am**

"I'm not saying that it is a strict rule..." Leon said to me as we walked out of the door, continuing to pack everything we needed into the space that was left in the Kombi. "...I'm just saying that maybe it's best we don't sleep in so long."  
"Boy's right." Sasha exclaimed as she carried a bag out the front door behind them. "Only so much sunlight in a day."

"Well I'm not complaining." Rea called out from the passenger seat.

"Everyone else is..." I muttered. "The way _you _snore, it's very unladylike." I said as she scoffed at me.

"I have to agree with him there sweetie, had to use my earplugs last night." Sasha joked with her.

"Whatever." She sulked.

"We almost packed?" Tyreese asked, coming outside and readjusting his belt and hammer.

"Yea that's everything." Leon said as he brought out the last bag.

"Well which direction we heading in?"  
"I've driven through here before. We go south far enough we got a shot at circling around Woodbury and seeing what's what on the other side. This highway takes us far enough that I don't think they'll be scouting at that distance." I told Tyreese. I pulled out the map from my carry bag. "This here is Woodbury, now there's a prison around there somewhere and a National Guard Station somewhere in between. Next major town north of the prison is Macon, now I've never been there but I've heard some things about it and it seems to me like it'd be a good stop for us if we get that far."

"You want us to drive around hostile territory?" Sasha asked me in surprise.

"I'm looking for someone." I admitted to them. "Or more accurately, I'm hoping that if we go into that direction we run into someone, or evidence that someone is around."

"You keep saying someone... You not gonna say who it is?" Tyreese asked sceptically.

"A man, a great man, he was a mentor of mine at the sheriff's office back home. He was training me to become an officer of the law, one step at a time. He was shot before the turn, in a coma, presumed to be dying... Then the turn happened and everyone assumed the worst. Everyone from town split... including his wife and son. Went to be with their families... understandable. We didn't have nowhere to go and we figured that the refugee camps were a pipe dream so we stayed home. Couple weeks later we find a man in a hospital gown being dragged away by this black guy and his son. I recognised my boss, Rick, and took him from them. We tended to him, told him everything that had happened. He was alive and well and determined to find his family. The next morning we said goodbye. The black guy and his son showed up told us their names, said they weren't no threat, they were taking Rick to do the same thing we did, he left with them and we thought we'd never see him again." I said slowly and emotionally thinking of that moment.

"I thought that King County was..."

I interrupted him. "But we did see him again... We came across a farm no more than a week ago, not very far from here. Saw that there were people living there. It turned out it was Rick... He'd found his family and a whole group of survivors. We helped them out with a problem in exchange for some supplies and then we left."

"Why didn't you join em? Why don't we?" Sasha suddenly asked excitedly.

"We didn't want to be in a group, me and Leon. A couple days later me and Leon got saved by this redneck with a blade for a hand and his friends. They met up with us. Told us they were from Woodbury, the redneck asked me about his brother and I recognised him as one of the people at the farm. The guy went to find them. Then we found Rea, our whole 'lonesome travellers' thing came to an end... that's why we're here with you. We saw a fire at night not long ago... coming from Rick's farm... I chased it and found Merle waiting outside. We scuffled before he told me that he didn't do it, that they had arrived there to see this, same as me. I believed him. They weren't dead down there, the vehicles were all gone, tents... They're alive out there somewhere and I have to find them, tell them what I've done... help keep them safe. They're good people... all of them, just like us." I told the two of them persuasively, Rea was listening in too as she hadn't heard any of this before.

Tyreese stared at me intently and started nodding. "Well alright then."

Leon came up to me and pulled me into a hug. "Welcome back brother, now get in the damn Jeep and drive."

Tyreese and I rode in the Jeep. He told me he had never driven one and had always wanted to and I picked up on the signal, tossing him the keys. Leon drove the Kombi behind us and Tyreese proceeded to telling me a little bit about himself.

"I played two seasons with the Falcons when I was younger." He mentioned offhand.

"Wow, A genuine sports star. Who'd have guessed." I said rhetorically.

"Yes, sir, I wasn't all that good at the sport, just big enough for it. I took off and started living normal, working as a bouncer, labourer, whatever I could find."

"Linebacker?"

"Mm-Hm."

"Figured." I said with a chuckle.

"What about family? No kids? Wife?" I asked him carefully, watching to see if it would set off some spark in him.

"None of that, just me Sash and my ma, she was in a home..." He explained.

"I see." I said simply. "I was more of a basketball fan to be honest. NBA... couldn't get enough of it." I said, realising just how much I missed catching a game with a beer and a joint.

"I played it in high school, decided between the two. Trust me, if I could have anything... Watching the Hawks take on the Mavericks would be _way_ high up on my list." Tyreese said with a wide smile.

"Amen to that brother." I said, looking out the window at a passing walker.

"The girl? Rea? Sasha is worried..." Tyreese said sadly. "She's in that Kombi... right now... asking her quietly if you've done anything to intimidate her or make a move on her?"

I looked at him and he glanced at me, in that lock of eyes I frowned as I saw he was genuinely asking. "I'm not a cradle-snatcher. She needs someone close to her, someone trustworthy, to help her grieve for her family. I can be that without trying to rape her." I said angrily.

"Okay... she just wanted me to check, I believe you. I told her it was pointless worrying." Tyreese said defensively.

"I had a girl... Before all this. Before I moved to Georgia." I explained. "Me and her met when we were about fourteen. She looked like her." I said sadly, refusing to look at him now.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Tyreese said sadly.

"It was complicated, there was... family shit... in the way. I was gonna pick her up and bring her to live with us in King County about a week after the turn." I explained to him. "No idea what's happened to her."

"Where is she?"

"Lexington, Kentucky... I'm pretty sure. Or Louisville... she moved around a lot." I said frustratedly. "She... uh... she was... she told me... when I had to move away... a few months before all... _this_... she told that she... uh... that she was pregnant." I said, my voice was shaking and cracking and my eyes were stinging with tears.

"Fucking... I mean... My god... I... Just... I'm so sorry Eric. That is... just awful." Tyreese said comfortingly. "I can't imagine how hard that is for you."

"I know... But... It helps to talk about it... Just... don't tell Leon please." I said to him carefully.

"Yeah, no problem. Christ man... I wish there was something I could do." He said sadly.

"Don't die." I told him with my best smile.

"Don't have to tell me twice..." He said slowly, his voice trailed off as we saw a campervan overturned in the middle of a field, there were walkers surrounding it while three people huddled around each other on the roof. "Those are _people_ man!" He said, stopping the Jeep. "We gotta help em." He said desperately, struggling with his seatbelt as he flung the door open in a rush.

"Hey!" I called after him as I got out calmly. "You can't lose your cool, they're still gonna be up on that roof in two minutes, let the others get ready." I told him casually.

The Kombi skidded to a stop behind us and Leon came strolling out of the vehicle, jamming the keys in his pocket and putting his pistol in the back of his pants before pulling a load into the chamber of his hunting rifle. "You ready for this?" He asked Leon.

"What's the plan here?" Sasha asked as she came out holding Rea's hand.

I looked at Rea sternly. "Well because this isn't a job for her, Rea is going to go back in that Kombi and lock every possible entrance inside that she sees."

I didn't continue speaking until Rea had followed my orders and shut the door behind her. I pulled the silencer out of my back pocket and handed it to Sasha. "You put this on your rifle, cover us with Leon, me and Tyreese will go over there with hammer and axe and bring them back."

Everyone nodded to each other as I relieved my tomahawk of its sheath and me and Tyreese set off at a light jog towards the campervan. The people on top saw us approaching and started screaming inaudibly, it was hard to hear at our distance but me and Tyreese immediately picked up the pace. We couldn't hear them firing but it was clear that Leon and Sasha had already begun, walkers started dropping ahead of us like flies. The pack was thinned down immensely by the time the two of us arrived. As more and more walkers turned to see why their comrades were falling they noticed us approaching. _Easier game_. I thought with a grin as they all started shuffling towards us stupidly.

Thankfully the two men who were up on the campervan were smart enough to use this chance. One of the men was no older than me and he leapt down and started hacking away with a cleaver, striking at them desperately. The older man, by the looks of it his father pulled an extra clip out of his pocket and loaded his gun before killing as many as his aim would allow him. Me and Tyreese collided with the line at pace. Tyreese knocked one off its feet with a shoulder charge and it went absolutely flying into two others at a startling momentum. I kicked the first walker at pace and it fell onto its ass heavily. I swiped my tomahawk across its face killing it. Tyreese drew his hand back and began delivering crushing blows with his enormous claw hammer, destroying multiple skulls as he grunted and growled at the group of walkers that struggled to get close to us as he thudded them down every time they tried. I decided it was an appropriate time to use the same technique, I let the rage and the adrenaline flood through me as I stopped thinking and started acting simply on impulse. My arm became a jackhammer, thudding the blade of my axe in and out of the multitudes of walkers that were approaching.

The whole scuffle seemed to happen so quickly as Leon and Sasha continued to mow down the walkers that weren't too close to us. I braved a glance around and noticed two walkers were still around me and five were getting dealt to by the immense and blood-covered form of Tyreese. The last two walkers around me came at the same time, I threw my shoulder to the ground behind them and combat rolled past them, I twisted my legs as I came to my feet and rose up facing the backs of their heads, Leon shot the one on my left through the face and slammed the tomahawk down on the top of the last ones head, ripping it out and letting out a loud sigh as I fell to my knees on the ground. I always felt like this after a fight, so tired and yet so relieved that I could hardly function.

I looked up and saw the youth who had jumped off of the caravan deliver the final blow, cutting off the top half of the last walker's head that had been attacking Tyreese. "Holy Christ!" Tyreese said, panting heavily. "_This _is what it's like?" He asked in exhaustion and surprise.

"That was piss easy, wait until we get caught in a situation like them." I said, gesturing to the caravan with my thumb. "Hard jams to get out of." I said as Sasha and Leon came running up towards us.

"Everyone okay!?" Sasha yelled as they got close enough.

"So far as I can tell." I yelled back to her.

"Hey guys..." Me and Tyreese heard the youth say, our eyes swung to him immediately. "Thank you... _so_ much... for saving my family."

"Wouldn't be very human to leave you now would it." Leon panted as they reach us.

"What's your name kid?" Tyreese asked him

"I'm Ben." He said simply. The two adults of the group were walking over from the campervan. "Those are my parents." He said carefully.

"I'm Allen, this is Donna." The man said, approaching them with his hand outstretched to Tyreese.

"Tyreese. Good to meet you."

"Better to meet _you_ I assure you. We were about done til you came along." Allen said, shaking his head despairingly.

"You and your family are safe now Allen, your welcome to travel with us, obviously you know how dangerous it is to travel in small numbers." I told them politely.

"Thank you. We'll definitely take you up on that." Allen said almost instantly. _He shouldn't be so trusting_.

"Allen!" His wife said, looking at us apologetically. "We don't know these people. Sorry but it's true." She added looking at us.

"They just saved our lives Donna." Allen said strongly. "If they wanted to hurt us I think we'd know it by now."

I chuckled and looked at him. "Your wife's right Allen, you folks don't know us... _Shouldn't_ trust us... Not yet anyway, only way people like us can travel together is if we know that the other isn't a threat. Ain't many ways to find that out... So we can get to know each other on the road, if you feel like you don't want to be a part of this group at any time there's no hard feelings and you can be on your way... Just... Don't let your values or your morals or whatever the hell you wanna call them get in the way of your common sense. We survive by sticking together, working together, until we can find a home for ourselves..." I added at the end ominously, I wanted to find a place like that, a place we could live in, fortify. We protect it and it protects us, just like we did with each other. It was the only way to have a life in this world, and I did _not_ mean to die.

"Donna? Was it?" Sasha asked suddenly.

"Yeah." The woman said, folding her arms nervously.

"Take it from as woman's perspective... You got nothing to worry about with these people." Sasha said confidently.

Me and Leon both looked at her appreciatively, happy that she was so trusting in us so early. _Her talk with Rea must have gone well_. I had been worried that there would be friction between her and us but she had adapted well. "We should at least give it a shot Donna..." Allen suggested carefully. "I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you sweetheart... Okay?" He told her as strongly as he could, placing his hands on both her shoulders tenderly.

She looked at him and I could see the disbelief and the disappointment in her eyes, it was a sad thing to see. A man doing everything he could to protect his family, but his wife didn't trust him, didn't believe he could do it. I could understand her position, this world was all about survival and she was worried that hers was coming to an end. Maybe the reason she agreed was because of her son, but whatever it was... the reason had nothing to do with her husband... I could see that straight away. "Okay Allen... We'll go with them." She said, walking away from her husband and shrugging his hands off of her.

As she walked away toward the Kombi Ben grabbed her hand and they walked off together. Allen seemed happy that he was coming along, he couldn't even see what was going on with his wife, maybe no one else had but I know what I had seen and I was sure that it was real. "Okay then... We ah... _did_ have a vehicle..." He said, pointing to the caravan.

"Anything useful in there?" Leon asked him.

"Ran out of supplies a couple days ago..." He said solemnly, looking at the ground in embarrassment.

"It's no matter, we can all squash into what we have until we find another car or something." Tyreese said cheerfully as we began walking back to the vehicles.

"Why do you have so many weapons?" Allen asked me, as if he had been dying to know.

"I like to have a choice." I said with a grin. He laughed and I sighed. "Do you really need me to tell you?"

"Why not?" Allen asked.

"The axe is for hand to hand, as is the knife depending on the situation, how many, how close they are etc. The bow is to use when being stealthy and killing far away walkers and the pistol is for extreme circumstances." I told him swiftly.

"Makes sense." He said casually as we got closer to the cars.

"Oh!" Sasha remembered. "Here." She handed me my silencer that I had almost forgotten about and I slipped it into my back pocket.

"You should grab yourself a permanent one from one of the gun bags. There's a few in there." I told her.

"What have you been using?" Leon asked Allen.

Allen held up the Colt revolver top them and grinned before replacing it in the back of his pants. "That's it?" Leon asked with a scoff.

Allen seemed confused and me and Leon looked at each other in amusement. "Oh we have _a lot_ to teach you." I told him with a laugh as we reached the vehicles.

**The next day: 8.13pm**

The elementary school was small time, only ten or so classrooms, a playground, a library, a main office a gym and a hall. The gym was the biggest building. And surprisingly the one that had the least amount of walkers, it had taken a good three hours for us to clear the entire place and set up our things in the gym. We lit a fire in a brazier we found at a small house nearby. Sasha was finishing Donna's leftover dinner by the fire while Rea was reading some comic next to her. Donna had kept her negative attitude all day but it hadn't affected the others much. Just Allen and Ben. Ben was handy when we had been clearing out the rooms. He had a lot of balls and did his best to keep up with Leon and I. Leon and Tyreese were on the far side doing some target practise with his rifle. I hadn't been afraid to tell Tyreese to his face that he couldn't aim for shit. Donna and Ben were in the upstairs area where the weights and exercise equipment was. Allen was sitting next to the stairs sharpening the knife that I had given to him from the hand-to-hand weapons bag. I heard Leon let out another peel of laughter as the next bullet that Tyreese fired thudded directly into the wooden door behind their target. We had grabbed an easel out of the storage room and drawn a bullseye on an A4 piece of paper to serve as his target.

"You damage that thing anymore and it won't be safe enough to keep the walkers out." I called out to the man, my voice echoing across the room as he became frustrated with the rifle and handed it back to Leon. Everyone chuckled at him as Leon laughed hysterically.

"Come on man, I was no master when I first tried either. Come on keep plugging away." He said as he tried to calm down, trying to hand the rifle back to him.

I watched as Tyreese hesitantly took the rifle with a roll of his eyes, he steadied his shoulder and took multiple deep breaths. "Now... exhale..." Leon coached him and Tyreese let a gust of breath out and when he got right to the end Leon pointed his hand at the target. "Go." He said softly and quietly.

Tyreese pulled the trigger and the bullet thudded into the leg of the easel and it jerked suddenly, folding up violently and clattering noisily on the ground. The echo was blocked by the sound of absolutely everybody laughing their heads off at him and he stormed away, dropping the rifle on the ground gently. He came and sat next to where I was sitting with a glass of whiskey, a cigarette and another photo that I had of Rochelle. I tried to put it away before he pulled up the other deck chair and sat down.

"Why not show me?" Tyreese asked.

I grunted and gave a nervous laugh as I pulled it out of my pocket and gave it to him sheepishly. The photo was another one from the motel room only this time she was dressed up before they had gone out one night. She looked absolutely stunning in a dark blue dress. "That was three months before, about when I knocked her up I think."

"She's beautiful." Tyreese said sadly as he looked it over.

"Yeah. I was one lucky guy." I said, once again doing my best to hold back the tears.

"You _really_ loved her?" Tyreese asked in genuine disbelief. "Not to be uh... presumptuous... but how old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"So how do you know you were in love? No offence but you hadn't experienced it enough to know for sure." Tyreese said.

"Yeah maybe, but it's what my heart and my mind both told me so who was I to disagree." I answered calmly.

"Wait... Nineteen? Really?" He asked, seemingly stunned.

"Yeah."

"And you were a rookie cop?"

"They were training me to become one." I said simply.

"You _look _older." He stated.

"Thank you." I said cheekily.

"Not _sure _that I meant it as a compliment but you're welcome." Tyreese answered with a half smile.

We were silent for a moment as I took another drag on my cigarette and ashed it into the tray that rested on the arm of the chair. "You want a drink?" I asked him, raising my glass.

"No thank you, spirits never agreed with me." He said ominously.

"Sounds like a few fun stories." I said with a grin.

"Depends what you think is fun." He muttered. "Where'd you get the bottle?"

"It's from home, I've had it for years... When I have a good day, I have a glass. This is the first time I've drunken from it since the turn." I admitted to him sadly.

"Well I'm glad to have helped you pick your spirits up man." He said softly.

"You surely did. Everyone did." I said quietly.

"You think we'll find Rick and his group?" Tyreese asked me.

I didn't quite know what to say, I believed in my heart that they were alive, and I believed that I would find them but there was always that voice in the back of my head that would tell me my doubts, and he had never spoken louder. "If not him, we _will _find more survivors."

Tyreese smiled and took my cigarette off of me and took a long drag on it, sighing with a slight moan as he exhaled. "We're gonna start a group?"

"You smoke?"

"Not since I was sixteen." He scoffed. "And that was no answer."

"It's the right thing to do. Protect as many people as we can. Human's are a valuable resource for body, mind and soul. Especially the ones that have made it this far. Look at Rea, would you have ever imagined a thirteen year old girl to be like her." I said to him enthusiastically, but keeping my voice low.

"And what? You're gonna lead them?" He asked me, a sense of pride in his eyes.

"Me?" I laughed for a little while as he looked at me, surprised. "I can look after a small group, like this... But a whole community. No thank you."

"Who then? Leon?" He asked with a snort. I looked up at him intently and raised my eyebrows. "Me?" He asked, shocked. "What? Why?"

"Because you suit it? I don't know... I'll help. You want me to give you some speech? Do you want it or not?" I asked him, he struggled to decide and couldn't speak for a while and I became impatient. "Do you think you can do it?" I asked him.

He looked at me suddenly with a flare in his eye. "I can do it." He said strongly and simply.

"Will you?" I asked him.

Tyreese chuckled and grabbed the second glass of whiskey from the floor. I took the signal and poured him a small straight glass and he drank it back swiftly, gasping as he swallowed it. "Woah Jesus..." He smiled at me then. "Yeah... I got this." He said, getting up and wandering back to where Leon was standing with the easel, unfolding it as he took the rifle off of him again. I smiled and skulled back the rest of my drink.


	7. Heart Is Wherever Home Is

**Just wanted to mention that I did change Tyreese and Sasha's backstory a little bit and made them from Georgia rather than Florida to fit in with my characters. Also I just used some of Tyreese's past from the comics to explain **_**his**_** backstory. I find Tyreese such an intriguing character in the TV series and thought it would be interesting to show how he coped leading the group he was in before he arrived at the prison.**

**In this chapter the now group of eight will fight their way through the walker infested territory to find a safe base to live and work from.**

**Stay Cool**

**Ten Days Later: 4.10pm**

_This was the park we had come to when Leon got us kicked out_. I remembered as I saw the square of concrete and the picnic table that we had a joint at after the gig that had brought us here. I released the string of my bow once more into an unsuspecting walkers head and the eight of us crawled a little further forward quietly. I reached the dead body and pulled the arrow out softly, wiping it on the rag that was poking out of my back pocket and putting the arrow back in the string. Leon got down on one knee and steadied his shot with his upright knee and his elbow before putting down the nearest two. There were walkers everywhere in the clearing, it would take way too long to clear them _all _out quietly. We were all exhausted and there was still the walk back to the vehicles.

I stopped them and put the bow on my back again. "There's too many, we gotta get in a circle around Donna and Rea and fight our way through." I whispered to them all. They all nodded... _except Rea_. I thought despairingly.

"I can help." She whispered frustratedly. "I'm not some fucki..."

I put my hand on her mouth. "Not now Rea, do not give me shit about this now, just do as you are _told_." I said to her strongly, releasing her mouth, she looked hurt but she seemed to slowly grasp the dire urgency of the situation and relented helplessly.

"Ready?" I asked the men. Ben and Allen nodded and the other two I didn't need to worry about. Leon slung the rifle around his back and pulled out his machete, I handed my pistol to Rea along with the silencer from my pocket. "You get a clear shot, you shoot to kill." I told her. "You got fifteen rounds."

Tyreese pulled out his hammer and swung it in his grip loosely before loosening up his shoulders and taking a few breaths. Sasha pulled out the butcher's knife we had given her and Ben held his cleaver that he had fought with at the campervan and Allen had a metal baseball bat we had found in a sports shop a few days ago. I slid out my tomahawk and knife and we formed a tight circle around the girls.  
"Here we go." I said as we shuffled our way towards the walkers.

The first few were easy to kill but eventually we were seen by others and after a few minutes we found ourselves with every walker within eye sight wandering towards us hungrily. It became more and more difficult to move and fight at the same time but it was always either myself or Tyreese who managed to get ourselves clear enough to keep manoeuvring up the hill.

Within the time it took us to get to the top of the hill, Rea saved my life on two separate occasions and Sasha was downed and saved by Leon. There was something about Allen that worried me, he was desperate, fuelled by fear and it was dangerous. He was wild, His movements unsure and wobbly. I was afraid that he was going to be the death of us and something inside me screamed that taking in with any group _was_ a bad idea. When we got to the top of the hill I was facing the front, there were three walkers coming nearby and four at a reasonable distance, I grabbed the first ones hair and jerked it behind me, hearing the slice as Leon took its head off. Tyreese stepped ahead from the right and killed the next with a wicked blow that dropped the walker like a sack of potatoes. I spun in a circle and delivered a skull splitting blow to the last ones head and had to jerk the handle violently... _twice_... to free itself from the depths of the walkers skull that I had forced it into. Rea shot another of her rounds at the next group approaching walkers and one dropped.

Leon swung his rifle back around and dropped two more before the last was upon me. I stabbed him in the side of the head with my knife and smacked his head off of the blade with the butt of my axe.

Me and Sasha saw it at the same time. "Is that it?" Sasha asked me, panting as she leaned over to catch her breath, there were walkers around but none close enough to cause any harm for a little while.

"What?" Donna asked desperately, looking around like a startled gazelle, her eyes wide and bright with fear.

"That." Leon pointed to the structure up in the trees. "That's it."  
Everyone looked up at it, there were two tall pine trees with massive trunks and a building built around them, the trunks going through either side of the roof and into the house. There was a stone pathway leading up to the front door and there was a patio with outdoor tables and chairs with umbrellas sitting in them. There were two big huts that were built around the trunks, further up from the ground and ramps that lead from the roof to the huts. The two huts were round shaped but looked solid and spacious. The others couldn't see it yet but there was a hatch on the roof that lead to a set of stairs in the bar and on the roof was another sitting area. The roof had a massive steel fence around it with wire mesh and vines all through it.

Leon and I had come here with a young couple on holiday from college that had needed a ride one day, they invited us to this event they had passes to and we went along. The gig was here. An out of the way pub that was run by farmers and hunters that was reserved for their children or friends of the family. Leon had gotten _hammered_ drunk and gotten us kicked out for ripping the felt on their pool table. But he had gotten laid as well so we didn't mind too much. I always remembered this place. One of the hunters had told me that they had built it all themselves. The law knew nothing about it and they liked it that way. Made it easier to provide their underage children with alcohol. Seemed a strange priority to me but I've never been one to judge people on their lifestyle. If I started doing that I'd just end up having to hate myself...

Now this place was going to be our new _home_. As safe a place as I could think of from my memory, I found it easier than just hoping to stumble across one. Unfortunately reality always has to check in as the walkers closed in around us more, we gave up on our break and began striking them down savagely as we went as swiftly as we could towards the doors. The walkers trickled out as we got closer to the building. The door was padlocked shut. Leon and Tyreese held them off as Sasha struggled with the chain hopelessly.

"No one thought to bring bolt cutters?" She asked frustratedly. She rolled her eyes and we went back into the circle.

"Go around back!" I called out loudly. I swiped at a walkers arm as he clawed at me and it came off at the elbow, he stumbled and got trampled by his friends as we rounded the corner towards the back. "Sash!" I called. "Gun!" She ripped it off her back and I caught it expertly as she flung it at me, I wrapped the sash around my forearm to steady my shot. "Climb the ladder, climb the fence!" I yelled, gesturing my head towards the old wooden ladder and the wire mesh behind us.

Leon took up arms beside me and shot a few walkers through his scope. Sasha had put a permanent silencer on her assault rifle and I pulled on the trigger sparingly as I picked my way through the closest ones doing my best to conserve ammo. It became hard with so many of them around and Leon needed to reload suddenly. I knew my clip was getting low too but I squeezed the trigger tighter and dropped a few more walkers as he reloaded as swiftly and calmly as he could. I looked behind quickly to see Rea and Donna had both gotten over the fence and Allen and Ben were well on their way. I turned back and emptied my clip into the oncoming horde, dropping more bodies than i could bother to count. Leon covered me as I reloaded. Tyreese started climbing up and I gestured to Leon to leave before starting to fire once again at the walkers.

The more I fired the more and more I realised that this was a _part_ of life now... Killing walkers, it was everyone's day job. They would never just _go_ away, whether we had a fence around us or not, they'd still be waiting outside, to eat us. Walkers were dropping in front of me as the glare from the gun firing was starting to sting my eyes. Leon was halfway up the ladder and I backed towards it, swinging the gun around my back as I started to climb the ladder as swiftly as possible. I was almost away but felt something close around my work boot, it was on so tightly that it wouldn't come off and the walker was so fucking _fat_ that I couldn't lift my foot any higher, I began to panic and Leon looked down at me and screamed emotionally as there was nothing for him to do without getting himself killed. As the strength in my body began to fail I found it excessively hard to resist the walkers pulling force as he tried to work my ankle close enough to get a chunk out of me, I felt a sense of determination fly through my body at an alarming pace. I tried to heave my foot out of his grip but it was all for nothing. My strength withered away before I could get free and I looked up at Leon, my eyes were tearing up as I realised what needed to be done Leon saw the look in my eyes.

"NO! NO!" He said to me desperately. _He knows me too fucking well!_ I thought in amusement. "Don't you _fucking_ dare!" He warned me as his voice broke with fear.

"Stay safe brother. I love you." I told him as I let go of the rail.

In that moment a silenced bullet tore through the things head and my leg was free. A second wind came to me as I fell and I clasped on to the next rung down with everything I had, My body thudded against the solid metal ladder harshly. I scrambled up the ladder further, away from reach; I got high enough to see Rea pointing her gun through the chain link at the dead walker below the ladder.

"I'm sorry sweetie." I mouthed to her through the fence and she nodded, giving me a thumbs up, I smiled at her and she smiled back hesitantly.

I reached the top of the fence and dropped down heavily landing on my feet before flopping onto my back tiredly. Everyone was huffing and puffing and I started laughing hysterically. Everyone began joining in nervously but eventually we were all chuckling heartily as I rolled on the ground. Leon helped me up and I grinned at him giving him a hug. Everyone began to hug and congratulate and laugh with each other as we had a brief rest on the roof. "I shouldn't have scared you like that brother." I told him embarrassedly as we stayed clutched together.

He let me go then and walked a couple paces in the other direction, looking down onto the ground through the fence. I was waiting for him to say something. It started to bug me, usually when I didn't want him to talk I couldn't stop him from injuring my ears with his shit. He finally broke the silence, in a low, hoarse voice. "Next time you give up... Make sure I ain't there to watch." He said, spitting through the fence at the walkers.

"I haven't slept in almost four days Leon..." I told him slowly. "Not until I was free did I feel any strength in my body at all. He had me... And Rea saved me... Again. I'd be dead if it wasn't for her." I said, through my fear I allowed an edge of pride to seep into my heart as I once again pictured the girl emotionlessly dropping walkers with my gun.

"She's something else all right." Leon admitted

"Let's get the cars, fix this place up... then pat ourselves on the back." He panted, hugging me back tightly. "You fucking scared me back there."

"Rea saved my _life_... Again. Little shit-kicker." I said with a chuckle.

She grinned and gave me back my pistol. "Am I staying inside again?" She asked dutifully.

"You, Sasha and Leon are gonna clear out the area outside, as best you can." I said.

"We'll go get the vehicles. Me, Eric and Allen." Tyreese added strongly.

The three of them escorted us a fair way before returning to the building and trying to clear out the walkers that were around our new home. The vehicles weren't very far, for all the places reputation as a hideaway bar it wasn't very far away from the road. We had parked the three vehicles a fair way into the bush however, under cover. The drive back was slow, manoeuvring the Kombi and the pickup through trees. Allen wasn't much of a driver, _probably explains the overturned caravan on a flat field_. I suddenly realised. We were back at the bar within three quarters of an hour and we parked the vehicles back behind the bar beside ladder. I was turning off the Jeep when Tyreese approached the back door and it was opened by Rea. I was relieved to see she had made it through the sweep, I had my doubts about _that _olive branch but we seemed to be as tough as she thought she was. Such a strong willed and steadfast personality she had... _so different to Ro, yet so similar in some ways._

We got out of the vehicles and walked inside, everyone was sitting around the bar tiredly and patiently. "Everything intact?" Sasha asked us as we trudged inside, practically dragging our feet in exhaustion.

"All the supplies are there." Tyreese said, flopping on one of the leather couches.

"It has been one _tough_ fucking few days people... But we god damn made it. We found a home, we can live in this place, fortify it." I told them enthusiastically as I found a bar stool to plop myself on.

Donna and Allen both smiled at me with genuine happiness and I felt a warm feeling inside. "I just want to thank you. For letting us be a part of this. I know I was a bit of a bitch to begin with, and I apologise for that. I'm just glad we're here with you." She said emotionally. Allen grabbed her shoulder and she cried and hugged him back. Allen and her clutched to each other tightly and I was more than glad to see a positive step in their relationship, there had been to much negativity between them lately. It was horrible for Ben to be around.

"We still got a lot of work to do." Tyreese reminded them, sitting up sharply. "Where'd the bodies all go?" He asked the group.

"Sash and Ben helped me carry them down to a clearing that I thought we could use for a pit to burn them." Leon answered him from behind the bar.

"Okay so tomorrow we burn the bodies, today after we've rested we clean this place up and bring in all our stuff. Make this place a home." Tyreese mumbled.

"Everyone should eat." Donna said purposefully. "I'll get us all some food together." She said, hurrying out towards the back door. I nodded to Leon and he swung his rifle around and followed her outside.

I went behind the bar and found a few full bottles still intact. I smiled briefly as I realised that I was going to get hammered drunk tonight. Donna and Leon returned with a few boxes of crackers and two cans of salmon. We all dug in hungrily. Everyone was in a light mod and laughed and joked as we all ate. Leon brought us out a big tub of water and we all hydrated ourselves as well. We were eating for about fifteen minutes.

"Maybe we should have a look around?" Donna suggested excitedly.

"Lock that door." I told Rea and she jumped into action. I climbed the spiral stair case and found that the hatch was unlocked. Relieved, I pushed it open and made my way up onto the roof. There were more tables and chairs out here and another bar under a small wooden gazebo type thing. Everyone looked around excitedly and Rea ran up one of the ramps that led to the little tree huts.

I followed her up and remembered the layout of the rooms when I saw it, it was simple, there was a leather rug that unrolled down into a flap used as a door that you could tie down at the bottom, inside were four more tables and chairs and a few ornaments and collectibles. Rea chuckled and we went back down to where everyone was going from the other room.

"This place is pretty cool man." Ben said as we met back up under the gazebo.

Leon jumped the bar and began looking for more bottles. "Definitely a great place to stay." Allen added in gladly.

"I'm glad that you approve, means a lot." I muttered awkwardly.

"Me and Sash will take downstairs." Tyreese said suddenly. Allen, Donna and Ben in one room. Leon, Eric and Rea in the other." He said simply. "Fair enough?" He asked everybody.

"No worries boss." Leon said with a chuckle.

"Aye-Aye Captain." Sasha teased.

"Stop." He said embarrassedly.

"We should get to cleaning, get it _really_ feeling like home." I told them all gravely.

"I'll be here for moral support." Rea said, taking a seat at the bar.

"No..." Leon said slowly. "Actually... You're gonna go and pick up every bit of rubbish that you can see, bottom to top and put it in one of the big bags we got."

"Really?" She asked looking at me. I nodded to her cheekily.

"Take one for the team." Tyreese insisted.

I could hear her muttering under her breath as she made her way down the stairs but I couldn't quite hear what she said. "We should get to moving tables." I told Leon.

"We don't need this many. Take them outside. I'll chop them up for firewood later." Tyreese said casually as he went down stairs with Sasha.

**The next morning: 9.42am**

Last night I had _definitely_ gotten out of hand. Everyone had truth be told but it was no big secret that I was the worst, Donna and Sasha had been teasing me about it since I woke up. Now, as I stood with Allen and Ben next to the burning pit of walkers that we had just dug and dropped the bodies in before setting them aflame, I felt like hurling. It was difficult to hold in vomit but not impossible. It was more of a chore to try and avoid having to swallow some.

I was sweating like I used to when I was cage fighting and my vision was blurred and I couldn't stop blinking. "All right there?" Leon asked me sarcastically.

"Fuck you." I groaned tiredly.

Him and Ben both chuckled at me hysterically. "I still can't believe you pulled that shot off."

"Unlike most other people drinking actually make my aim _better_." I joked.

"Okay then show off." Leon retorted.

"Didn't take us long to trash the place again." I noted to them with a grin.

"Ma will clean it up. Says it's her job, only way she can contribute." Ben told them.

I smiled at him, their family was settling in well to the group and as shy as Ben was he was a cool guy and a good person, much stronger than his father. "I'll be sure to thank her when I see her, that's very kind of her." I told him.

"You guys think Woodbury was _really _that bad?" Ben asked them suddenly.

"What? Why?" I asked him in shock.

"It can't be all that bad, if a lot of people live there." He insisted.

"We have no idea who lives there. Or how many... and I know bad guys when I see them." Leon assured him.

"We want to be well clear of that place." I told him strongly.

We began trudging back up the hill of pine trees up towards the bar, it wasn't a long walk, just a steep one, we walked slowly so we didn't get puffed. "You didn't drink?" I asked Ben suddenly, looking at him.

"Yeah... in case you didn't notice the folks are a bit strict and a bit dysfunctional." He said solemnly.

"Sucks man." Leon muttered.

"Where are your guys parents?"

"Dead." I told him simply.

"Sorry about that."  
"Not your fault Ben." I told him persuasively.

We reached the bar quickly enough and found everyone sitting down stairs when we arrived. "Generator in the basement." Tyreese muttered. "Needs gas but it'll work a treat, I used to fix them."

"We need gas to keep it running, gas to keep by in case of a crazy escape, gas to burn all the walkers..." I told him swiftly.

"Someone will have to go on a run. " Tyreese muttered.

"I volunteer." I said excitedly.

"Leon and Sash?"  
"Wha...?"

"I need _you _with me. You're my right hand, not some asshole risking your life for supplies. No offence Leon." He said humorously.

"I've been called worse." He muttered with a grin.

"Regardless... The need isn't desperate, shouldn't need to go out for a few more days. We get settled, then we start working." He said to everybody gathered. I smiled at him, he was still transitioning into the role of leader, he still needed my help but he was getting there, even starting to sound confident about the whole thing.

"So what's the plan for today?" I asked him.

"_You _look too pale to get anything done." He said accusingly in amusement.

"That's what happens when you polish off an entire bottle of spirits." Rea said and everyone chuckled as they remembered last night.

"Today I will be chopping up those tables and chairs, I want Donna and Allen giving this place a good scrub down then I want Leon and Ben working on some fortifications, for the fence and for downstairs. Sasha I need you to do another sweep then come see me, make sure that no walkers come wandering over towards that fire. Eric and Rea you can take the day for yourselves." He told us.

Rea smiled at him and he winked at her smoothly and she laughed. I was glad that she had moved past the loss of her family, she seemed happy, in fact she seemed to be doing her best to keep everyone else happy as well and I was grateful for that. It was more of a help to me and Tyreese than she probably realised. Leon and Ben went straight to work, heading up the staircase towards the roof. Sasha grabbed her rifle and checked that it was loaded before she moved lithely outside. Donna and Allen were joking around together as they left to grab what cleaning gear they could find. Tyreese gave me an appreciative nod once more before walking out the back door to where me and Leon had moved all the spare tables.

I took a seat at the bar and Rea stood behind it, looking for a chair. "Drink?" I asked her carefully.

She looked at me in amused disbelief. "Seriously?"

"Didn't you hear? It's my day off." I said, reaching for my cigarette packet, I found there was only one left inside and groaned. Leon had a packet of his own but I hated asking people for smokes. I pulled it out and lit it up, the feeling eased both my stress and the rising pang of sickness that was boiling inside me. Rea slid a glass of water over to me and I looked at her disappointedly.

"You wanna drink yourself to death you can pour it your damn self." She said with a giggle.

"Fair enough." I stated simply.

"This is a really good place to stay." Rea said happily, but there seemed to be something else on her mind, I waited patiently for her to mention it but she seemed too nervous.

"What is it hon?" I asked her softly.

"Woodbury? How far away are we?"  
"A safe distance Rea, don't you worry about Blake, I've told you... Nothing is going to happen to you." I told her once again.

"It's... gonna be winter soon... the first one since the turn." She mentioned. "Do you think the cold... and the _snow_... will effect them?" She asked hesitantly.

"I know as much as you do Rea... I like to think that it will, but I can't be absolutely sure... At the very least it'll slow them down." I told her positively.

"It slows us down too." She said sadly.

"Very true." I muttered.

I looked at her and smiled. "Woodbury is nothing but a bunch of dumb thugs with itchy trigger fingers." I told her carefully. "We got nothing to be afraid of."

"How do you _know_ though?" She asked.

"I have magic powers... I don't know Rea... My instincts told me, and they've kept me alive _this_ long surely they can't be all bad." I told her confidently.

"That's all the info you have? A hunch?" She asked him.

"Most of them will be so scared shitless of this virus that they are simply acting violent out of fear, wanting to believe that they can do what needs to be done to survive... They don't know that it's not how many you can kill, how good you are at killing them. There is more to it than that... They are just too frightened to see it and too proud to admit the truth." I told her. "I've known plenty of men like this in my time Rea, you have to trust me."

She looked at me with tears in her eyes then. "And _you'll _protect me? _You're_ gonna keep me alive?" She asked nervously.

"Or die trying." I told her calmly and simply.

She flew across the bar and clutched around my neck desperately, he hug was tight and long, I held her and patted her back and she sat down on my knee as she hugged me. We started to break away and her face was extremely close to mine, she grabbed my cheeks in her hands and began kissing me on the lips, I was so shocked that for a second or two I couldn't even comprehend what was happening. As sick as it was, the move made me think of Ro and a twisted voice inside me told me to go for it... to fuck her silly... but I pulled away fearfully from her. _What the fuck id wrong with me!?_

She looked hurt and I realised that _she_ had been looking at this the wrong way the entire time. "Rea..." I said slowly and hesitantly.

"Leon told me." She interrupted. "He said that you mentioned that I looked like a girl that you loved from your past... It's okay with me." She said intensely, looking at me with wide eyes.

"Rea... this is..." I started to say quietly. _Fuck her_.

"This is what?" She asked, but I could hardly hear her, the voice in my head was getting louder and more desperate. I tried to hold it back, to keep it in check and when that didn't work I tried to just block it from my mind but it just got louder and occupied my thoughts all the more. I felt like an idiot and a jerk. It should have been a line that was drawn from the start. _None of us should have had to be worried about any sort of incident like this_. I thought solemnly. I couldn't do it, as much as the voice in my head told me I wanted it I couldn't do it... Right and wrong was a hard line to distinguish in our current circumstances. But me... _and Rea!_ I was more than sure that nine times out of ten it was wrong.

"...Wrong." I finally said. "You're thirteen hon." I said slowly. "I'm six years older than you. This is just, not natural... I wanted you to think of me and Leon as older brothers." I said slowly and carefully. "I'm sorry Rea."

She was taken aback and she climbed off my knee embarrassedly. I looked at her as I took another drag on the cigarette and she hid her face. "Don't be embarrassed Rea. If I _was_ your age, I would have fallen for you the moment we started getting to know each other, just like with Ro. You're a great girl and I feel very strongly about you... but my feelings aren't in... _that _direction." I told her awkwardly.

"Okay Eric... I'm... I'm sorry." She said, standing there and sobbing and weeping.

I grabbed her head softly and pulled it into my chest and she wrapped her arms around my chest this time and I stroked her here and whispered to her calmingly. "You _never_ have to be sorry... _for anything_."

"Thank you Eric." Rea said emotionally


	8. Just Another Day At The Office

**The next few chapters will be focused on building the group, the time gaps will vary from short to long for a while. The winter is still only beginning... Just to let you know, in case you have been wondering, Eric shooting the walker that Carl lets loose from the mud in Season 2 **_**does **_**mean that Dale is still alive and with the group and because Eric also killed Randal for them Shane and Rick have yet to come to a head about their issues with Lori and the baby.**

**This Chapter is about finding new friends and our characters have to decide what the right thing is to do in a tricky situation.**

**Stay Cool**

**Six Days Later: 1.43pm.**

Travelling this far from the bar made me nervous, it had every day that I had left, which was practically all since Tyreese had given me that day off. He wanted to find more survivors, and I felt that we needed to so I was out here every day, with someone different, travelling further and further every time. Getting home later and more and more exhausted.

Today I was with Ben. It was only natural that me, him and Leon had gotten closer, boys our age felt that we needed to stick together and in this, Ben was no different. He wasn't like us, he didn't share the past and the experiences like me and Leon had but Ben was a good guy, straightforward and dedicated. He being able to live with us was boosting his confidence; he had been trying much harder, throwing himself into every task with ferocity and purpose.

I had begun to let Rea start to call her own shots more also, since we had that awkward moment she had understood how our relationship was and she still seemed to be glad for it. I felt bad about having to let her down at such a bad time but I _couldn't _go through with it. In fact I hadn't 'gone through with it' with anyone since Ro and me met up in that hotel... I hadn't slept with anyone but Rochelle since I was 16 and she moved away. I had slept with only two other woman in my life than Rochelle and I couldn't remember either of their faces, or either of their names.

Rochelle had been the only girl for me. _Could she have survived it? Pregnant and all? Or did she have to abort it? _These were questions I asked myself every day, almost every hour, but it hurt me more than it gave me the desire to find out, because deep down I knew she could never have made it.

I stopped myself from thinking as Ben drove us past a sign that said the next town was three miles away. "Rossfield... Ever been?"

"Never even heard of it. You been?" Ben asked me curiously

"I might have, probably passed through. If I'm right there should be a Wal-Mart here. It ain't a big one..." I said, before looking at him. "But it _is_ a Wal-Mart, we should at least check it out."

"Whatever you say boss." He said with a grin.

I looked at him sharply. "I'm no boss. Tyreese is boss."

"C'mon man..." He said with a chuckle. "Tyreese would be nowhere without you."

"Don't underestimate the man Ben, he's more capable than you think." I warned him strongly. "Your mom seems to be getting used to you going on runs." I mentioned sparingly.

"Hey, you were right." He said pointing at a big Wal-Mart sign that pointed us towards the complex. "Yea, she understands that I need to do this, I think it gets to her a little... That I have to be like this now. She always tried to mollycoddle me man."

"Don't ever be annoyed that your mum loves you too much." I told him as we pulled up towards the front of the building, we stepped out of the doors and I raised my voice as closed the door of the pickup. "The amount of times I'd be waiting to get picked up after school, my mum would walk up and grab the wrong kid. I had to start walking home because the other mothers were complaining. She almost got charged for kidnapping." I said with a laugh.

Ben snorted with laughter. "I don't know if that is sad or funny." He muttered.

"It's pathetic is what it is." I said to him as we approached the doors. "Those chains got put around this door recently, look at the holes in the doors." I said, my left hand gliding towards my knife subconsciously.

"Now hold up Rambo and Robin!" I heard snarling from behind me. "That's a nifty little set-up you got there kid. Work for ya?"

"I'm alive ain't I?" I answered spitefully, raising my hands in the air, Ben followed suit.

"Relieve these _fine_ soldiers of their weapons. Check Rambo here three times, who knows what the hell else he's got concealed." He said sarcastically.

A man approached from behind and grabbed my shoulder roughly, I had to resist the urge to snap an elbow into his face as I turned my head and saw the man speaking had an assault rifle pointed at my head. The other man spun me around. I took him in, he was a gruff looking guy, he had little scars on his cheeks and three of his side teeth were missing. He had long dirty black dreads that he attempted to contain with a black and grey beanie. He had long black stubble but his chin had a grey strip in it and his sideburns were peppered grey also. He was wearing a black leather jacket with a simple dark blue shirt underneath. He had tight grey jeans on and a pair of running shoes.

The leader, the man who had spoken was wearing a folded blue bandana around his forehead, his hair was short and dark grey and he was built like a brick shithouse. He had a full grown goatee and a nose that was twisted with the evidence of a fist-fighter. He wore a tight dark brown singlet that showed off his muscles and a pair of black cargo pants with black boots.

The man with dreads had a hard time getting my weapons off of me and I ended up having to take them off myself, chuckling at the man. He swung to hit me and I dodged away from his hit without retaliating. He ran and swung at me again and I glided away easily as his rage got the better of him.

"Stop that shit Trent, Tie the fucking guy up and then take the supplies out of the pickup." The leader said.

Trent grunted and beckoned me to him. I walked towards him and he pulled out a pair of handcuffs with a grin on his face. Suddenly Ben was behind him and smacked him in the head as hard as he could. There was shit all I could do, Trent was stumbling towards me and Ben was about to get shot by the leader. I shoulder barged Trent with all my speed and force and the rifle burst fired three shots. They all caught Trent's bullet-proof vest. I dive-tackled Ben as the leader blasted out another burst and we landed behind a large pot plant. I pulled the small knife that I kept in my boot out and grabbed the blade end. More bursts started scattering the dirt and the porcelain all over the place and I heaved myself to the feet, flicking my knife in the leaders direction as he tried to aim at me.

I heard a grunt and took my shot. I had time to see my knife sticking out of the forearm of his trigger hand. He was mid-reaction to the pain by the time I reached my holster that was on the ground a few metres in front of him. I scrambled for the pistol out of the shoulder holster and fired off three immediate shots. Blood splattered on the concrete behind him and the last shot blew out his brains and he fell to the floor with a lifeless, heavy thud.

"Is he unconscious?" I asked Ben instantly.

"Yeah, those knocks put him to sleep. Do we kill him?" He asked with a gulp.

"Not until I find out what the fuck is going on. You tie _him _up. I packed rope." I told Ben strongly.

I resituated my weapons to their rightful place and screwed the silencer on the end of my pistol. "Boss?" I heard some whisper from the other side. "You get em?"

"Almost." I grunted as a base reaction, trying to mirror the leader's gruff speech. "Who's in there?" I asked.

It was a few seconds before he answered and I was worried that my cover was blown. "Wheeler's in the can. Don't worry though I got th..." He didn't manage to finish his sentence as I shot through the door where he had been speaking and heard his dead body fall on the ground. I swung it open, pushing his body aside and could see nothing but shelves scattered with bits and bobs, it was bigger than it looked from the outside and I rushed to my left getting a read on what was down all the isles to this side. _I need to find Wheeler_.

I suddenly stopped in a jolt as one of the isles revealed five people tied up and gagged on their knees. They all looked at me and started mumbling inaudibly and I put up one finger to signal their patience. I saw the sign above the shelf that pointed to where the toilets are. I put my pistol and silencer and got my bow ready with an arrow in the string. I crawled behind the line of people and poked my head around the end of the shelf. It was just in time to see the door be swung open by an arm and I snapped my head back. I pulled the string back to my cheek and closed one eye. I put one leg out to the side and spun my torso to face his direction. I loosed the arrow and it flew at an amazing pace into his neck, burying itself halfway deep. He dropped as he gargled and clutched at the shaft with desperation and pain in his eyes.

I walked around and looked at the first prisoner, it was a young woman. Probably about twenty or twenty one, she had short, bright orange hair in a ponytail and a thin delicate face with scratches and bruises on her, she was a beautiful girl. She was wearing a small, denim, vest over a long-sleeve, low-cut, white shirt with black flowers on the front with tight dark blue jeans and a pair of white and green sneakers. "Is that all of them? Four?" I asked her in hushed panic. She nodded to me frantically and I ripped the tape off of her mouth and pulled the rag out.

She exhaled desperately and began breathing erratically and frantically. "That's all of them I swear!" She said desperately and quickly, I couldn't quite understand what she said at first and then I recognised the Irish accent and she started making sense. "We were staying in here and they tied us up, all of us. They killed two others when they attacked, we haven't eaten for... I don't even know how long it's been. Is... Is it over?" She asked with tears in her eyes.

"It's over hon. You're safe now, I promise you. All of you." I stood up. "Ben! Get in here and help me!"

I moved around behind the girl and cut the binds around her ankles, I helped her to her feet and she got dizzy, needing to lean against the shelf as I cut the bonds on her hands. She regained her composure as I moved on to the next man. He had slicked back brown hair and a soul patch, his face was angular and bony and he seemed to frown a lot. He looked to be in his late twenties. He seemed reasonably tall and imposing, his build was quite normal, a bit like Leon's, but you could tell it was solid. He was wearing a red and black, open hoodie with a white t-shirt underneath. He had camouflage cargo pants on and tall combat boots. I cut the bonds on his hands and feet and the Irish girl knelt down in front of him with tears in her eyes and took the gag off of his mouth.

"Darlin'." She said lovingly. "We're safe now."

"Jesus Christ." The man said heartily and in relief. "You boys are life savers, no doubt about it." His accent was Irish also but notably thicker, his voice was a lot deeper and his tone was more serious and slightly threatening, but maybe I was imagining things. "I never should have let Russell lead us to this." He said angrily.

"Russell?" I asked him curiously as I moved on to the next person. It was an African-American man, he was portly, not obese, but chubby enough that it was noticeable, he wore thin spectacles and he had a small afro and his beard was curly and peppered with grey. He was wearing a long-sleeve, blue, polo shirt and a simple black t-shirt over top. He had a long grey and black bandana tied around his neck. He had blue jeans on and sand coloured boots with a backpack and two satchels on his belt.

"Russell was our de facto leader. We didn't call no vote or nothin, but he was the man we all looked to. He was one of the ones who died. He let these four fellas into the group and they terrorized us from inside and out." The Irish man said grudgingly.

"Russell sounds like he was too soft and too trusting." I told the man plainly.

"Just didn't know danger when he saw it." He said persuasively and ominously.

"And you do?" I asked him curiously as I moved onto the next person. Ben was supplying everyone with food and water as we released them and the Irish couple were following me as I moved down the line. The next survivor was a woman, about thirty or so years old. She was built quite solidly, as if she had been a sports star her whole life. She had light brown hair that hung loosely and a bit of a manly face. She still looked pretty, just not quite to my tastes. She had a pair of dark blue sweatpants and running shoes with a white singlet and a dark red cardigan. She seemed to be doing her best to contain her emotions around us.

"I was raised by my father to fight with the IRA. I know danger when I feel it." He said, defending himself.

"So why are you here?" I asked with a grin.

"I ran away, I didn't believe enough in the cause to die for it. Eloped with Erin." He said putting his arm around his woman's shoulder and she grinned as he distracted her from their circumstances.

"I get that." I replied with a shrug.

"You guys were holed up in here?" I asked him. "How long?"

"We've only been here for a week or so. The others were all here to begin with, said we were the first people to stop by." He said in response.

"I find _that _hard to believe." I told him.

Ben released the last prisoner. He looked to be about thirty or thirty five He was a tall, handsome Latino man with a big upper body and long legs; he had a thin black moustache and a beard with a strip up to his lip. His hair was feathery and spiky even without any product in and he had a prison teardrop tattoo on his right eye, from his neck down he was nearly covered in tattoos, they weren't everywhere but there was enough that you couldn't quite make out which was individual and which wasn't. He was wearing a simple, tight, white singlet and black baggy jeans with a belt. He wore sand coloured work boots and had a big spiralling burn scar in the shape of a stove ring on his forearm.

"Everyone okay, feeling good?" I asked them calmly. They all nodded and replied and thanked me at once and I tried to hush them down, eat and drink sparingly, you overdo it and you'll just feel sick." I warned them.

"Why did you save us?" The sporty woman asked me.

I shrugged and chuckled. "Right place, right time I guess. Maybe god's watching over you? Who cares... You're alive, that's all you should worry about. And in case you didn't work it out already. Ben and I mean no harm." I told her softly.

"What's your name?" The black guy with the glasses asked me.

"Eric. I'm part of a reasonably small group that's looking for survivors, good people to add to our community, we have a place... It ain't all that big... but it's safe. It certainly doesn't attract as many degenerates as a Wal-Mart." I added with a chuckle. Ben chuckled along with me.

"Are you inviting us to your place?" The Irish girl asked in hope and I smirked.

"I don't know Jack about you people." I told them all carefully. "First I'm gonna have a talk with our dreaded friend then I'm gonna have a talk with you folks. Then we can talk about groups and what not." I told them going to the door where Trent was tied up with a small tent rope.

I pushed his face into the ground with my boot and he woke up with a start. "What the hell man!" He yelled, he had a thick English accent, a rough one, not one of those upper class, snobby ones. "Ah, me fuckin chest." He groaned, as he rolled onto his back in pain. He realised he was tied up as he went to take off his vest and began wriggling on the ground frantically. "Let me the fuck go man."

I chuckled and ripped his shirt open, revealing his bullet-proof vest and the three bullets that went up from stomach to sternum. "Tell me about Russell." I said to him threateningly and impatiently.

"I dunno what the fuck you mean man!" He pleaded desperately.

I smashed my foot on top of the bullets and he yelped and screamed in pain. "Jog your memory?" I asked him harshly.

"Ah! Fuckin piece of..." Another stomp to his stomach and he was screaming in pain and wriggling helplessly on the ground. I pulled out my combat knife and kneeled in front of his face. "I can see what happened." I whispered. "You guys and this... _Russell_... character, played a game with these people and their lives. Took everything you could for yourselves and cut Russell out of the occasion during the chaos. I know it happened, Because I ain't some airhead like them people back there. It's the kind of scam I would have run if this happened a year ago. Now I want you to admit it to me or this knife is gonna find it's way into some places of your that could cause some... discomfort." I said after a thought. I stood back up and raised my voice. "Now tell me about Russell!" I yelled at him, raising my foot one more.

"Yeah! Asshole! You're fucking right." He said spitting at me afterwards.

I smashed my foot down on his bruises again and he whimpered in pain. "Please, I told you, please stop!"

"Shut the fuck and listen you scumbag. You deserving to die slow is really pushing up against my morals so help your case and shut the fuck up and listen." I told him in fury. "Who else was in on it?"

"Nobody." He answered angrily. "Just the two we killed, why the fuck do you think we tied them up shit head?" He asked me savagely.

I had to decide what to do with this man, I knew I _could _do it, but I didn't know how the others behind me would react to it, they would be more receptive when I told them what the lot of them had done but it was still a rough area. These people could be coming back with me and Ben though, I needed them to know that I could make the hard call to protect the people around me stranger or friend. I knelt down beside him. "Any final requests? Words?" I said to him softly.

He spat at me again. "Yeah... Fuck yourself." He said passionately.

I slammed the combat knife through his forehead with deadly force and the light was out of his eyes moments later. I stood over his corpse as everyone behind me whispered to each other. "Well that talk went better than I expected..." I said as I turned around to face them.

"What was it about?" The Latino man asked me carefully.

"The man who was leading you? Russell? He lead you into a trap with these men and they double crossed him. How long have you been held captive?"  
"Too long for any of us to count." The black man said gravely.

"I want to know a few things, from each of you, start with the Leprechaun lovebirds and work our way down to the Latin model over there." I said with a chuckle. "I want to know your names, what happened to your families at the turn and what you did before." I told them strongly. "Unless you're all happy to leave here now, you don't have to stay." I told them. "I ain't claiming to be psychic but I got a pretty good idea of what lying looks like... so just don't." I said tiredly, running my hand through my sweating hair.

"James Thompson." The Irishman said, almost straight away, I was glad that _he _wanted to join us, seemed a doughty fighter. "Most people called me Teddy, me middle names Theodore."

"Teddy Thompson? Irish?" I asked him "Not Lucifer's Children Teddy Thompson."

"Sound's like me." He admitted, looking at the ground modestly. _The fucking chances of this!_ I thought gleefully.

"Big fan dude." I told him, with a wink. His woman laughed along, clutching at him proudly.

"Lucifer's Children?" Ben asked me.

"You never heard them?" I asked in surprise. "Up and coming Irish rock band for the last two and a half years. Teddy hears lead singer and guitar, one of the most talented musicians I ever heard on a gat." I said with a chuckle. "What are the chances huh?" I said to Ben with a grin.

"Well that skill ain't no big deal anymore..." Teddy said frankly. "I left me family when I was a teenager. Like I said, came here a couple months ago, started touring from top to bottom. Got separated from my band at the motel we were staying at when all the chaos went down around us, saw one die, didn't see the others. They were me closest friends." He said sadly, looking away in grief.

"Teddy Thompson's from IRA stock huh?" I asked myself. "What a mind fuck." I said with a chuckle.

"I'm Erin Thompson, his wife." The redhead said simply. "Me story ain't no different from his... obviously."

"I figured." I assured her.

"I'm Dr Julian Marsh. I was a GP a few towns over, I've been a doctor for 27 years." The black man said proudly. "I used to work in emergency care at a hospital for ten years. My wife died in childbirth when I was in my twenties and my son was hit by a school bus after school one day. I never bothered to try again. The grief got a hold of me. The rest of my family was up in Washington DC. I moved down here to be with my wife" The man said, all business, straight to the point.

The sporty woman didn't speak, she just looked at me and Ben, her eyes were masked by fake confidence but I could see the deep piercing fear in her eyes. "I can't um... I'll just go." She said suddenly, putting her bottle of water back with the others and spinning on her heel.

"You're sure?" I asked her. "I know... You've been through a hell of a lot... Your trust levels _should_ be at an all time low. But what I am offering is _genuine_ and it is a way to escape the dangers of the road. I wish there was some _thing _I could say that would just let you believe that I just want to keep you safe... But I know that can't happen at the moment. Trust has to be built. If you still want to leave. You are very welcome. But please... Take a moment to think on what I've said. Don't do anything drastic too soon. Take all the time you want." I told her as she paused and took a seat next to one of the shelves, putting her head in her hands and sobbing. I looked at the South American muscle man and he rolled his eyes.

"Ernesto Lorez." He said with a hand on his chest. "Pleasure to meet you boys, just quickly want to say a personal thank you for what you've done for us today. I had about given up hope of any rescue." He said, his accent was light, it was clear he had spent his life in Northern American. "I'm full blood Puerto Rican, born in Puerto Rico, came across legally when I was ten... learned English, went to a rich school. I learned how to be a carpenter and started my own business, taking on my alien brethren for more than most other people that hired illegals but less than the minimum pay rate. Business became too big and I had to sell them out, make it clean as it began expanding and gaining recognition. The turn happened around then. I had a daughter, a mom an aunty and a cousin with me when the turn came at my aunties house..." He gulped as his eyes teared up. My daughter died first. Me any cousin managed to escape while she ate our mothers. He died a few days before I found the Wal-Mart. He crashed our car, badly. Marsh here patched me up." He said with a grin.

"Thank you Ernesto." I said happily. "I'm glad that you all appear keen to join me and my group. I promise you won't regret it. It may be a bit cramped but we'll get by I'm sure." I told them positively.

"I can't wait to meet everybody." Teddy said with a grin.

"There's eight of us." I told him simply.

"Together, we could be a force to be reckoned with." Ernesto joked.

It became awkward as the woman began to cry and I was about to move toward her when Teddy knelt down beside her. "Darlin' I wouldn't want to leave without ya. Understand? This move is the best for everybody. And if these people turn out to be another trap I will rip them apart with me bare hands to protect us all."

She nodded up to him confidently as the tears stained her cheeks, glistening in the small amount of sunlight that shone through the boarded up windows. "Okay." She whispered. "Okay!" She repeated wiping her eyes and standing up purposefully. "I am Kylie Stables; I was the daughter of Howard Stables, The owner of Pioneer Motels, that chain of hotels that has that old time theme to it. He's the one in the ads dressed in the cowboy outfit like an idiot. I was married to a business partner of his... wasn't my decision, I... I never loved him, I hated him, hated the fact he stole my freedom, my ability to choose, I got pregnant and had an abortion... I ran away from them and they hunted me down... both of them... father and husband. My husband raped me that night..." She said as if it was casual news. "...and the next day I woke up and he was gone. Two days later the chaos started and I left for Atlanta alone. I got away when I saw the napalm in the streets and landed here." She said, exhaling at the end as more tears fell down her cheeks.

"That's some serious shit Kylie, you've had a hard life... like I did." I told her, looking into her dark brown eyes. "You'll hear all about it when we get back." I looked over the huddle of our newest members and smiled triumphantly. "Now... These _assholes_..." I said, pointing at Trent's dead body behind me. "They come in a vehicle?"


	9. Integration with Interrogation

**Last chapter we encountered a five new original characters. Remember they are not main characters. Our mains are always going to be Eric and Leon, the rest will be for background, storyline and other things that lend a hand to the progress of this story.**

**This chapter we will learn some fear instilling news, and our hero will risk his life to protect the people around him.**

**Stay Cool**

**The next morning: 10.10am.**

"When we stop I want Ernesto and Kylie checking all the supplies that those pieces of shit brought in that truck." I told Teddy as we drove the pickup up the hill at a steady pace, slowing down enough to keep up with Julian who was driving the cargo truck.

"Your family?" He asked me softly and cautiously.

"Never had one. Not one that was worth a damn anyway." I told him as Erin and Ben both listened in carefully.

"I see. Were they violent?"

"Ha!" I scoffed. "That's putting it mildly..." I muttered.

"Should be glad, it hardened you up enough to survive." Erin said with a frown.

"Yeah I'm real _glad _that the two people who are supposed to support me all my life treated me like a never-ending game of whack a mole." I told her with a chuckle.

"Sorry, was just sayin."  
"I know, and I was only joking." I told her reassuringly.

"Why you doing this?" She asked me from the back seat. "Going out, risking your lives for strangers, saving lives and protecting people. Aren't you scared?"

"One thing about having a family like mine taught me was that I have to face my fears head on or I'd never be able to protect myself." I said distantly. "I go out and do this because it distracts me from the feeling that I'm going to die a twisted and horrible death. Also it's nice to feel like a hero, wasn't much chance for that in the old world." I told them honestly.

"Fair enough reasons I suppose." She said, bobbing her head in agreement.

"The old world? You don't believe things will go back to normal?" Teddy asked me curiously, the prospect of my answer seemed to frighten him.

"I believe what my eyes can prove." I told him simply.

"You aren't religious?" He asked. "No thoughts on how the world began or anything?" He asked.

"Why bother? I'm here... and I've got a _life _ahead of me. What do I get out of dedicating it to some pointless mind-pursuit?" I asked him.

"When you put it like that it makes it sound stupid..." Teddy remarked in astonishment.

"My specialty buddy." I told him as I parked the pickup next to the Jeep behind the bar and pulled up the handbrake, turning the key and powering it down. The cargo truck parked next to us and I put my head back tiredly as everyone got out of the vehicles, I had been driving since seven in the morning and I was all ready to have another sleep.

Rea came out of the back door and screamed to everybody inside. "Eric and Ben brought back friends!" She yelled with excitement, jumping up and down.

I got out of the pickup. "Don't let her scare you, she's someone we found in one of those retard hospitals..." I said with fake sympathy. "I felt so bad for her I just couldn't leave her behind."

"Yeah right, you're the one that thought that there were six planets in the galaxy retard." She retorted.

Everyone chuckled at us and Rea threw herself into my arms with a fierce leap. She hugged me and wrapped her legs around my waist. "I wanna meet _everyone_!" She said excitedly and I let her down.

"Just calm down, they're nervous enough as it is." I warned her, kneeling in front of her.

"Ben! Ben's Okay!? BEN!" We heard Donna screaming from inside before her frantic, worried form came running outside and colliding into him in a mess of sobs and sniffles. "My baby! You're okay! We were up all night! I was so scared baby!" She said desperately.

"I'm fine mom." He said in annoyance as she planted multiple kisses on his cheek.

"Eric!" I heard from above, I looked up and saw Leon leaning out of our hut window at me. "I'm just cleaning my boots, I'll be down to see them all in a bit." He told me and I gave him the thumbs up. "Glad you're okay brother." He called out as he stuck his head back in. Allen, Tyreese and Sasha came filing out of the back door and everyone stood and stared at each other. The mood was tense and no one seemed too comfortable with each other at the moment.

"Bit further into winter and there might've been some ice to break right now." I muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

They all laughed nervously and Tyreese chuckled the loudest. "I'm sorry for the tension, It's just I have been hoping for new additions to the group for so long that now it's here I can hardly believe it, now that you're all in front of me... It's so real! Now I know better than ever... I can do this, I _am_ ready to protect you." He said confidently, his voice was strong friendly and approachable all in one. He had a friendly firmness to him that instantly made people adapt how they were around him out of pure respect.

"This is Tyreese... Our leader." I said to them, gesturing to where he stood in his black trench coat, a navy blue t-shirt and brown work pants. His hand was resting lazily on the head of the hammer in his belt and he was smiling in a friendly manner.

Teddy seemed confused, he looked at me with a cocked head and a raised eyebrow all in one.. "I thought _you_ were the leader."

"Lieutenant... If you had to put a label on it, I prefer Eric though." I told them cheekily.

"Eric's my number two. Sasha here is my sister and my number three." Tyreese told them, grabbing her shoulder tenderly. "Leon... upstairs is Eric's best friend and companion in most things, Rea her is their new, adopted, younger sister. Allen, Donna and Ben are a family. We don't know each other all that well, but the simple fact that we are good people has pulled us together to survive this thing as a team, as one big happy family. If you join with us, you join into the family." He told them firmly. "You _will_ contribute and you _will_ be looked after... and cherished."

"Those of you who find this agreement overly imposing are still welcome to leave, but once you've decided to stay you will not be accepted back if you abandon the family." I told them all softly and carefully.

"Me and Erin." Teddy said to Tyreese confidently and amiably. "We'll be part of your family, This is what we've been looking for since this all happened."

"Aye." Erin said with a grin. "Thank you so much for the offer." She said sweetly.

Kylie sighed. "Well I've come this far, might as well see it through." She said, shrugging and turning away hazily, she had been acting strange since we left in the morning... _numb_. I suddenly realised.

"You've got me and my skill set at your disposal..." Dr Marsh said to Tyreese, coming forward and clutching his hand proudly. "Julian Marsh. Doctor." He said with a grin.

"Count me in, one hundred percent." Ernesto said simply.

"That's that then, please do your best to settle in, take the day to get used to the surroundings and the folks here. Work begins tomorrow." Tyreese told them happily. "Any of you have any questions, formal or informal, any one of us is more than happy to help." Sasha told them softly. They all nodded and smiled at that, satisfied Tyreese and Sasha went back to what they were doing before. Allen embraced Ben and Donna as they reunited and the new folk all smiled at the reunited family.

"Alright you mushy bastards." Teddy said strongly. "Let's get the damn truck unloaded. Quicker the better yeah." He said swiftly as he took off his leather jacket and sunglasses, revealing his muscular upper body and arms that were covered in inter-weaving tribal tattoos. He had a Celtic band and crest wrapped his right bicep. Teddy climbed onto the truck nimbly and quickly. The whole lot of them followed suit as They began to haul what little supplies they had off of the truck. Allen walked with Teddy, showing him where all the supplies were kept as he was first through the door. Donna and Ben started drifting inside after a while and Rea and I stayed outside. She was quiet. I had tried my best to put our little 'incident' behind me. It wasn't panning out to well, and going by the feel of the silence that lingered uncomfortably between them she was having as hard a time with it as he was.

"I have no idea what to say?" I admitted in confusion.

"You don't have to say anything... Being around is enough." She said with a slight grin.

"I appreciate that." I told her. The silence became almost unbearable and I turned around to leave.

"Eric?" I heard her whisper sadly.

"Yes sweetie?" I asked nicely, whirling around on my heel to face her.

"Um... What ah... What was she like? Your girl?" Rea asked me interestedly as we walked and sat on the back of the Jeep.

"Her name was Rochelle Carmichael. She was a daughter of one of my bosses. A very powerful and influential man. I fell for her the first moment I saw her come into work to get something from her father. She was extremely beautiful, incredibly funny, too cheeky for her own good. She was a little naïve and occasionally clumsy. She definitely would have needed protecting. She was also loyal, independent, brave and slightly reckless at times." I told her swiftly. "It's hard for me to tell whether you two are alike or not..." I said, looking away as her face once again formed in my mind and her smile caused me to tear up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... you know..." Rea said quietly.

"No." I said, wiping my eyes and turning to smile at her. "It helps to talk about it, thank you." I told her with a nod.

"Anytime." She said with a determined look.

I grabbed her shoulder lovingly and smirked. "Come on. You can tuck me in." I said, nudging her playfully.

She giggled and pushed back as I trudged inside tiredly.

**Later that day: 1.07pm**

I had slept adequately, it was mainly the driving that had exhausted me. The fact that the Wal-Mart had not offered much comfort could have added to my drowsiness. When I had woken I had felt fresh and ready for the rest of the day, then I had remembered Tyreese's order. For a while I had tried to find some way to relax in the hut, but that feeling that I was dead weight was always gnawing at my soul. Eventually I had become restless and stormed downstairs announcing that I was going to hunting. Tyreese had heard my urgency and offered no resistance. I was outside the back door attaching my weapons to myself next to the Jeep. I had a large satchel pinned to my belt filled with a simple lunch that Donna had packed for me quickly. It was more than I needed, and quite frankly a waste of food if I ate it all.

I tightened the strap around my shoulder and made sure my body was stretched and ready for what was to come. I heard footsteps behind me, they sounded heavy and I turned around to see Leon trudging towards me. "You feel the snow coming anytime soon?"

"Not too far I'd say..." I said slowly.

"Tyreese said you were hunting." Leon mentioned.

"Yep. Haven't been since before we found Rick's group... Plus I was getting restless." I said, scratching my neck.

"And yet you need the rest." Leon said slowly.

"Please..." I said, snorting. "I avoided _Rea _so I wouldn't have to have this talk..." I said with a chuckle.

"Laugh all you want big guy. You've been working like a beaver, non stop, with hardly any sleep for almost three weeks... just to get us _here_. We're here now man, you can ease up." Leon said putting a hand on my shoulder.

"It's _hunting _Leon. I'm not going to war." I said with a chuckle.

"I just don't think you should push yourself. I know about... about your nightmares." He admitted awkwardly. "About Ro... and... well you know..." He said, looking away as his face suddenly cringed.

Tears fell down my face as my cheeks shuddered and I was on the verge of crying. "My baby." I whispered.

"I... I wish that I hadn't found out like this man... but no matter what, I am so sorry, I've had no idea about the amount of grief you've been dealing with." He said, looking at the ground as he rubbed his eyes. "If I had known I would have eased up on you, I was a dick, and you didn't need that." He said sadly.

"I love you Leon, When you're a dick, when you're a pussy and when you're an asshole." I told him with a smirk. "But I loved Ro with something that I had _never_ experienced in my life. And when she told me that she was pregnant... with _my_ child... It was something out of this world, no buzz that any drug can offer could match what I felt in that moment and in those months, thinking about our life together. I knew it would be hard. There would probably be more bad times than good, but I would have made it work, no matter what I would always love her, and my child..." I said, breaking into sobs. "Be able to keep them safe, love them, teach them to be strong."

Leon clutched to me and we hugged tightly as I tried to keep myself contained. "Your kid... any child of yours, would have been a strong kid, and a good kid. I don't think I need to explain to you that none of us saw this... _thing_... coming. And I don't think I need to tell you that this is the hand you've been dealt, the apocalypse hit with shit timing and you're torn up. But you need to use that hurt and that pain to learn that life is full of these... unhappy occurrences, they've happened to _all_ of those people in there... now is when we use that lesson to get past our hurt, carry on with our lives... Ro would want you to stay alive, to live free of guilt and with that big gorgeous smile of yours always on the go. She loved you too, with all her heart, she told me she never wanted anything more than she wanted you... Back in those early days. And I don't blame her... You're the best guy I know. You've saved my life for my _entire _life. I couldn't imagine getting by without you brother." He said to me, sobbing a little also.

I broke away from him and nodded to him, wiping my eyes again. "I'm... gonna go hunt now... Thank you." I said, looking back at him as I started walking off aimlessly.

The encounter had left me a bit dazed, I had never known Leon to be so forward with his emotions. It was clear that he had been genuine, that he had wanted to do his best to make me feel better. And the message had gotten through... Somewhat. It was true that Rochelle wouldn't look proudly on my wallowing in grief and guilt, she _would _want me to move on... Ro was like that... always wanted what was best for everybody else. I realised that I had only walked to the front of the bar and I shook my head and once more wiped my eyes, trying to clear my head of all the turmoil that was brewing inside. I double checked that I had everything before I set off towards the area that Leon had marked on the map as 'full of game'.

A sudden movement caught my attention. _Was that a fucking leg?_ It had looked like someone throwing themselves behind a log. I slowed up and went on one knee and pretended to work at my shoe lace. I continued to gaze over towards the log for any more movement. I wasn't sure if I had imagined it but I needed to know either way. I had seen everybody working or on break inside not four minutes ago, and if anyone had left I would have taken notice. If someone was out here it wasn't one of our people, and if they were trying to hide themselves they were up to no good whatsoever. And if they were up to no good it was up to me to do good and see what they wanted. _It is best I don't take him alone, I'll get Leon or Tyreese down here_. I pretended to look in my satchel on my belt and checked my pockets as if I had forgotten something, I jogged up to the bar urgently and ran around the back.

Before I could go through the back door I saw Teddy striding towards me purposefully. "I saw him too." He said quietly. "Best not alarm the others." He whispered.

"True knocking." I muttered as we went back out and stood by the vehicles. "How do you want to play it?"

"I'll go towards the area, pretend to take a piss, if he pops his head out, you take him down." He said intensely before striding away at pace.

"Teddy!" I called after him. "Are you armed?" I asked him in a loud whisper.

He shook his head and then shrugged and I pulled the pistol out of my holster and tossed it to him, followed by the silencer. Teddy attached them and put it down the back of his pants and went jogging towards the trees, business as usual.

I took my opportunity to duck as lowly and swiftly as I could into the undergrowth and started moving from tree to tree with alert eyes and stealthy feet. I could see Teddy ambling towards a particular tree, angling closer towards me as he wandered past the log. I ducked down so I couldn't be seen over the ridge and went on a crouched run towards a tree with a wide trunk. It was close enough to Teddy. I looked around the area, all I could see were dry leaves and pine trunks and Teddy pretending to piss against a tree. For a while I thought we had been overly paranoid but then I noticed the bow and arrow slide it's way forward out the side of a tree. I could only see the back of one of the man's legs and his forearm that was gripping the bow.

"Teddy! Cover!" I called out with a frantic yell and he threw himself to the ground.

I saw the arrow glance off the tree and thud right next to one of Teddy's legs. The archer made a break for it in the opposite direction. I saw a bullet land two feet in front of the man's path and he turned in another direction. I began to make a break for him and I looked up and saw Leon firing his rifle through the chain link. Leon ran the man towards around with his rifle, always shooting in front of him. I was close enough to him now and Leon ceased fire. The man heard my footsteps and turned. He delivered a thunderous right hook at my face but I was smart enough not to run into it. I ducked down low and grabbed his waist, using my momentum to lift him off of his feet and dunk him onto his back in a vicious tackle.

As the archer connected with the ground I heard his bow snap and his quiver dug into his shoulder blades and he coughed and groaned in pain. He growled and smashed a big left straight into my cheek and my eye stung with tears instantly. He went for another right hook from the ground as I kneeled on top of him but I swayed backwards and raised my knee, dropping it savagely into the side of his head. He moaned and his head bobbled around in a daze as I stood back up and began to smash his ribs in with my boot. Teddy came over and leaned over the man, he smashed three wild punches into his face before Tyreese and Dr Marsh were down with them and pulling them away.

"What the hell is this!?" Tyreese asked.

"This guys been watching us!" Teddy retorted.

"Sick fuck!" I said, side-stepping Dr Marsh and kicking the black archer in the face with a solid connection that knocked him out.

"What the hell!?" Tyreese said to me in frustration. "Why'd you knock him out!?"

"I'm gonna talk to this son a bitch." I told him, my heart was lit up with fury.

**Later that night: 7.43pm**

The basement was all set up. I had Leon, Teddy and Ernesto down there with me. Ernesto was standing in front of the prisoner, who had been roped to a chair, he hand binds on his hands and feet and the ones around his thighs and his chest wrapped him around the chair securely, there was a black sack over his head that blocked his vision and he had a piece of tape over his mouth also. He was _still_ unconscious from my kick. After a while I recognised him. He was the big, black archer that I had seen with Merle when they save us from that roof.

Leon was standing over by the fold up metal table that had a bunch of tools on it. I was leaning against the wall next to the stairs that went to the old storage room upstairs. I nodded to Ernesto and he removed the hood. He backhanded the archer with a loud snap and the man woke up startled, he struggled for a second and then sat back looking at my, with no emotion in his eyes as I lit up a cigarette. Ernesto stayed where he was and I took a big drag on my smoke as I walked to where there was a simple dining chair against the wall. I sat on the archers left side and blew my smoke in his face.

"Comfy?" I asked, he was still gagged and I laughed. "You can answer that later. Y'know... I'm... surprised more than anything." I said, ashing my cigarette on his pants. "I would have figured that they wouldn't send a gorilla to do a hawks job." Leon laughed and the prisoner thrashed around in the chair with anger before Ernesto once again backhanded him. The archer looked up at the Latino man hatefully and I laughed. "He's just the entrée." I said leaning back in my chair and inhaling more smoke. "My Leon, I'm sure you remember him... He's the main course. But me? I don't want to say dessert... feels too... mild. I'd call myself the grand finale. Pretty soon we'll have all that anger torn out of you piece by piece. Then all you will feel is pain, burning hot, intense pain, as well as a hopeless and reluctant feeling of desperation. Understand this. I _will_ know what I want to know... And it _will _be you that tells me." I told him. "After this, there is no doubt in either of our minds. You don't co-operate... You get hurt." I said, taking another drag and standing up kicking the chair backwards gently. I handed Ernesto my cigarette and went back to lean against the wall. He ripped the archers tape off and he stared at the Latino violently and defiantly.

"Why were you watching us homes?" Ernesto asked as he took a drag on the end of the cigarette.

"Wanted to learn how to make tacos." He said with a grin.

Ernesto looked at us and laughed with him. Then he backhanded the archer and rammed the cigarette butt right below the man's left eye. He howled and screamed and Ernesto threw the useless butt on the ground and backhanded the burn on his face. The archer yelped and Ernesto grabbed his chin. "You were watching us because?"

"Ask the fucking blondie!" The black man said with a ruthless tone, spitting blood at Ernesto.

Ernesto leaned back and delivered a full strength right haymaker into the archer's face, he was thrown to the ground with the chair and landed on his face. He groaned and hissed with pain as Leon picked him back up after kicking him in the ribs. "What the fuck does he mean man?" Ernesto asked me suspiciously.

"Is this about the girl?" I asked the archer as he panted and blood streamed down his face on both sides. His left cheek was split from Ernesto's punch and his right cheek and right eyebrow were split from his face landing on the concrete ground, there were dark red stains on the floor.

He nodded. "You killed two of our men. Blake's gonna rip this place apart. You should leave while you're all still breathing.

"That's a good idea... And we could just leave you here." Leon said, looking at us in amusement.

"Fuck you cracker." He snapped sharply. Leon's boot caught the side of his head and his neck snapped sideways and he groaned.

"You pieces of shit are gonna knock me out again!" He yelled. "Take you even longer to know everything." He said to me in pain.

"No one in your town knows you're down here Kong..." I said to him slowly. "We got all the time we want..." I said, rushing towards him and reaching for my combat knife.

"Okay! Jesus!" He screamed, his voice becoming desperate. "I'll fucking tell you." He said breathing heavily with fear.

"When is Blake going to attack?"

"When I come back with the report... Or within a week." He answered reluctantly.

"And how long you been out there?" I asked him. He went to respond and I pressed the end of my combat knife about three quarters of an inch deep into his kneecap and he began squealing. "Before you answer, best to think about honest... being the best policy and all that." I said and he tried wriggling. I twisted the knife sharply and suddenly and he screamed with pain and I saw Leon turn away in disgust.

"Okay! Three days! Three fucking days! Take the fucking knife out!" He screamed angrily.

"Thank you. How many men in Woodbury... soldiers? Fighters?" I asked him calmly.

"Now... about nineteen maybe twenty-something. But he could arm civilians to help him." The archer said, panting and groaning.

"If I come back with you... Can I offer my life to him to satisfy revenge, that way he's got no need to harm the innocents." I said to him softly.

"Eric!" Leon said urgently.

I looked at him menacingly and he stood down. _Not now, he understands_. "That might could spare some bloodshed." The man said with a smile. "You're one _hell_ of a brave guy."

"What's your name?"

"Just call me Shumpert." He said, looking away.

"You understand that you are still going to be my prisoner Mr Shumpert, on the ride there... A little ah... Piece of mind." I said to him carefully.

"Of course." He groaned, putting his head back.


	10. Never A Dull Moment

**For a few chapters Eric will be away from his group. This will mean that a lot will change in the time it takes for him to get back. Expect to see new faces. I thought that an early meeting with Woodbury would be an interesting turn for the story, I have a few ideas about what will happen when we get there but any of your thoughts are helpful.**

**This chapter Eric is on the road with his prisoner, being led to Woodbury to meet with 'Blake'. The road will be dangerous.**

**The next day: 11.47am**

"What has Merle been up to?" I asked Shumpert as I lounged in the passenger seat with my Beretta pointed at the side of his head.

Shumpert was driving his black van with supplies in the back, I had already helped myself to his breakfast. "Looking for his brother... He ain't found him yet." The big man said plainly.

"Probably dead." I said, looking out the window to hide my regretful expression.

"Merle thinks they're on the move. Always running, too hard to keep track of." He explained briefly and quietly.

"What's he gonna do when he finds them?" I asked him.

"Get his brother." Shumpert said slowly.

I smiled at him knowingly. "And?"

He looked at me and grinned. "Yeah, he wants to hurt the leader guy, Rich or whatever his name is."

"Hurt him?" I asked, my anger rising slowly.

"I heard him say worse." He said with a slight reminiscent chuckle.

I looked back out the window and grimaced. Merle seemed like a dangerous man. Maybe I could get to know him at Woodbury... _If he is even there_, _hell for all I know Rick and Daryl could already be there because of me_. "How far are we?" I asked him silently.

"Couple hours at the least. Roads could be blocked." He muttered grudgingly.

"Don't be angry. You're gonna get your chance to get your revenge soon enough right?" I said to him.

"How you figure that?" He asked gruffly.

"I turn myself over to your boss, release you as a gesture of co-operation, he has me tied up waiting for punishment and you get a quick visit in the room to beat the crap out of me..." I said, looking out the window distantly.

"Or I could pull over and we could get all that out of the way right now." He said calmly.

"I need to make sure my people are safe..." I said slowly.

"Cut the shit." He said suddenly. "I know that's bullshit. You ain't giving yourself up."

I looked at him purposefully. "You think what you want tough guy... All I care about is the safety people, they ain't done nothing to deserve no suffering." I said to him.

"And you have?" He asked.

"You'd be surprised." I said to him, looking back out the window.

"You know Blake would be willing to spare your life if you worked off the debt... Seen it happen before. Until the guy tried running and Blake ran him down and killed him." Shumpert said slowly and carefully.

I chuckled to him. "Work? I don't know if I would call it that." I told him.

"Well what would you call it? Robbery? You go from house to house taking what you want and that's okay?" Shumpert said a bit louder.

"Don't you dare compare us... I don't kill the innocent. I don't slaughter people who are just trying to make the best of what they got." I said to him defensively.

He chuckled and suddenly turned down a dirt path that lead up a hill. I noticed a reasonably tall building at the top of the hill with some solid concrete walls around the property. I saw on the signs as we got closer that it was a National Guard Station and smiled. There were a few other buildings inside as well as space for truck parking and a gas pump.

"That thing works?" I asked him.

"Woodbury's been using it for some time..." He said with a smirk.

"Handy asset for you." I said to him sarcastically. I pulled the pair of handcuffs from my back pocket and tossed them onto his lap as the van came to a halt. "Put 'em on, and fill her up." I said to him simply.

Shumpert sighed and clicked the handcuffs on before opening the door and dropping out of the side. I stepped out of my door and he came striding around the back and released the pump. I watched him as he filled the van with petrol and had a quick look around the station. There seemed to be three main buildings. _One of them has to be and armoury_. I thought as Shumpert twisted the gas can back on.

"Turn around." I said calmly. He turned so that the gun was pressed against the back of his head. "Back in the driver's seat." I told him slowly.

He started to walk back around the car and I followed him with my gun raised. He got in and started it and I jogged around to the passenger side. I got in and went back to my relaxed position, aiming the gun at him all the while. "So tell me about Blake." I said to him enthusiastically as I tossed him the handcuff keys.

**Later on that afternoon: 1.31pm**

Shumpert hadn't finished eating yet. We had driven into a campsite to see what we could find and had found a fair bit of food. I had made him cook it of course and we had a fine meal of baked beans. I felt refreshed but Shumpert was taking his time and I saw no need for it, I was starting to get suspicious.

"This was a _good_ find." He said as he ate back another spoonful of beans. "We could be a good team... A couple of archers. Blake owes me a favour, I could put a word in for you." He said, looking up at me with a grin.

"Eat your beans quick and shut up." I said to him impatiently.

"He's gonna rip your skin off, he's gonna fuck you up in ways you can't even imagine before he kills you. Then he's gonna drop your fucked up walker body at your group's door as a final warning. They don't give us what we want and they'll all suffer the same fate. It's cute... Y'know... You're little odd crew of misfits you've got going on in the woods there. But they ain't worth the effort against _us_." He said gravely. "It's just a fact man... If your people make a stand... They will die, if they leave, and leave their supplies behind. We will have no quarrel with them."

"I didn't take this trip to have this talk with _you_." I said to him with a raised voice, I kicked his plate out of his hands and it clattered across the dry leaves and sticks and his food was spread on the ground. I aimed the gun back at his head. "Lunch time's over. Back in the car." I said to him angrily.

"You can't shoot me, you'll have no idea how to get to Woodbury." He said aggressively with a menacing grin as he approached me.

I leaped backwards over the fire pit and backed up into the little clearing next to the sitting area around the fire. I put the gun back in the holster and removed all of my weapons. "I know how to get to Woodbury... Been there before the turn..." I told him with a chuckle. "I told you why I was bringing you, but it isn't necessary."

He walked towards me and tried to stand over me. I kicked him in the balls as he opened his mouth to threaten me and he wheezed in a high pitched tone as he reached for his nuts and doubled over. I whipped a lazy but powerful left uppercut into his neck and then thundered my hardest right uppercut into Shumpert's nose. He flipped onto his back at a startling pace and I kneeled over him "It's about survival shit-head... not strength." I turned him over and handcuffed his hands behind his back.

He was moaning and grunting as I tried to lift him up and I chuckled. I smashed his face in to the side of the van and he was knocked unconscious in a second. He slid to the ground and I lifted him to my shoulder and opened the back doors of the van clumsily trying to keep him balanced as I slid his limp body inside.

"Don't you dare move." I heard from behind me. I was about to disobey the command but I suddenly felt the sharp point of steel resting lightly against my spine and I tried not to gasp in fear. The voice had come from a woman, _a strong woman_, I thought with a grin. "What are you up to?"

"Dealing with an unruly prisoner. Why are you interrupting?" I asked her without turning.

"Looked suspicious... what happened?

"He wanted to test his luck against his me, for his freedom, got downed like a baby." I told the woman.

"He dead?" She asked lightly.

"No, unconscious." I told her slowly. "Can I... Can I turn now?" I asked her slowly.

"Let him turn.' I heard a second woman's voice say, this one was softer, but sounded intelligent, and quick witted.

"Go on then.' The strong woman said threateningly.

I turned around cautiously with my hands raised. I was a little bit scared when the turn revealed a buff looking, athletic, dark-skinned, angry woman with a katana raised to my chest. I glimpsed at the other woman briefly and she was holding all my gear and I grimaced and sighed. "You guys gonna stare all day or tell me what the fuck you want?"

"Don't you talk to..."

"I remember you." The other woman interrupted. "I remember these _weapons_." She said intensely. "You're the one that came to the farm... killed Randall. You knew Rick and Shane."

"And Lori and Carl." I said slowly, always looking in the black woman's eyes. "The night was a bit of a blur, I couldn't recognise you I'm sorry, I've forgotten your name."

"Andrea... And you're Eric..." She said slowly. "Where's Leon? Did he...?"

"No... He's safe... We have a place... A group. But it needs work." I told them, shaking my head. "We take in too many more people and it could become crowded, we need to expand or find somewhere better."

"What's the prisoner got to do with this?" The black woman asked.

"Did I catch your name?" I asked her staunchly.

"I don't think I threw it at you." She answered defiantly.

I pushed her katana out of the way and approached Andrea, she handed me my weapons and I strapped everything back on. "What are doing out here with Blackie Chan?" I asked Andrea with a grin at the woman, who was sliding her sword back in it's sheath.

"Her name is Michonne." She said simply.

I spread my arms innocently. "How hard was that?" I said.

"Farm got run over by a heard, I got split from the rest, I dunno if they're alive or dead..." She said sadly.

"You didn't even go back to look?" I asked her.

"I had my own ass to think about, sick of watching theirs anyway. Was a ticking time bomb the way Shane and Rick were going." She said looking away.

"I saw the aftermath. The vehicles were all gone, all the camping shit. None of the group that I could recognise down there. The name Merle Dixon mean anything to you?"

"You've got to be fucking kidding me?"

"I'm not I'm sorry. He's been tracking the others, trying to find Daryl..." I said sadly. "He's working for a man who is threatening me, trying to slaughter my people and take what we have." I looked around in anger and slicked my neck. "They live at Woodbury. That's where I'm taking this son of a bitch." I said tapping the van. "I'm gonna turn myself in, hand him over as a gesture of good faith... try to avoid causing any bloodshed on my group, it's me he wants." I said sadly.

"What'd you do?" Andrea asked me curiously.

"I killed two of his men trying to save a thirteen year old girl's life after they killed her family and tried to fucking rape her." I said simply, "Me and Leon both, she is a little sister to me now. Then we find _this_ asshole watching us at our new home. I'm ending this before it goes to far..." I said slowly.

"It won't be the end." Michonne said.

"Well I can at least try."

"And get yourself killed." Andrea pointed out

"If that's my fate..." I said defensively.

Michonne was staring at me strangely, her eyes were wandering as she tried to process everything. She went a fair way away towards the snarl of walkers and I saw her come back around from some tents with two walkers on chains. The sight made me feel sick to my stomach at first, then I saw what she was up to. The walkers had bags attached to them left right and centre. _Pack horses, clever strategy_. Their arms had been removed as had their jaws and their top teeth. The no longer posed a threat to anything and they seemed so much more docile, almost content with their surroundings and uncaring about what had happened to them. These fucking _things_ are getting stranger by the second. I could hear the snarl of walkers coming from multiple directions now and I chuckled. "We could either stand here and talk or you two could get in the van with me and I'll drive you someplace safe." I told them.

"Why should we trust you?" Michonne asked.

"Because you haven't come back from the dead." I said slowly and sarcastically.

"He's not trying to get one over on us Michonne, let's just take the ride." Andrea said slowly. "It's getting cold out here." She said looking around slowly. She seemed to be struggling with something in her head as we made for the van. I heard two swift cuts and I turned around before I opened the driver's door to see her pack horses drop to the ground with no heads, she grabbed her bags and set off for the passenger door and I chuckled to myself in amusement. I started the van up and continued on my path to Woodbury, the van was shaking and heaving itself all over the place as I drove the bumpy path out of the campsite.

"Where do you guys want to go?" I asked as I pulled out of the driveway and started slowly driving towards Woodbury.

"We don't have an end destination. We've been struggling day to day." Andrea explained slowly and Michonne scoffed.

"You see it different?" I asked.

"It ain't a struggle, _this _one just ain't fit enough." Michonne said with a slight smirk.

"I can see that." I chuckled.

"Your group, they're good people?" Andrea asked.

"Nothing but..." I said simply.

"How many?" Michonne asked.

"Twelve... Including me. Four woman, one child... the girl I saved. The rest are the men." I said simply.

"What's your place?" Andrea asked.

"One of those illegal bars you find in the forests." I said to them, they seemed confused. "Y'know... one of those ones that rednecks use to get their kids pissed." I explained.

"Yeah I remember helping out on a case against one of those places." Andrea suddenly realised with a smile.

"Yeah well this one is secure. And we've just found a carpenter, so we are gonna start expanding and making it bigger soon." I said carefully. "Plus... _someone_... goes out there every day... looks for supplies, but mainly looks for survivors, I've tried to put it in a way so that we will cover all the ground in this part of Georgia, that way if your group is still alive we could find them out there, all join together, and create a community."

Andrea and Michonne looked at each other and I pulled the van over to the side of the road. They were both deep in thought and I knew what was being decided, they both stepped outside and started speaking to each other in a hush. I leaned back in my seat and reached for a cigarette lazily. I lit it and relaxed a bit as I inhaled the smoke. Andrea came around to the driver door. "Michonne has a map." She said in an apologetic voice. "If you could tell us where it is, we'll go give them a hand." Andrea said.

"You don't have to apologise, you two have no reason to come and die next to me... Take the van." I said. I can walk the idiot from here. I told them as I stepped out and continued with my smoke. I opened the back door and dragged him out by his feet, his head smacked the road as I pulled him all the way out and he woke up with a pained groan.

"My fucking head is killing me... How many times have you hit it now?" He asked as he got up onto his knees. I drew my arm back steadily and crossed another right hook over his face and two of his side teeth got spat out as his head smashed to the side.

"Lost count." I said as I shook my right fist in pain. Andrea and Michonne were watching, Andrea looked shocked but Michonne was just smirking knowingly. _That there is a good woman to have by your side_, I thought as I stared at her admiringly. She smiled back and I chuckled. Michonne drove the van as they pulled a U-turn around me and my beaten up prisoner.

**Later that Afternoon: 4.52pm.**

The rifles on the wall had been pointed at me for five minutes and I was growing impatient. I had been holding Shumpert by the throat with a gun to the side of his head all that time and the men on the wall were silent and steadfast in their orders as they kept me quiet and still. Merle wasn't on the wall. I had concluded that much before they had caught on that I was there. I saw the Latino man I had seen with Merle and Shumpert earlier however.

One man had gone to get Blake and I looked at all the soldiers on the wall, _a rabble_, I thought with a smirk. There was no organisation among the sldiers. They were there for fear, but they weren't much of a threat, in any big firefight they would all turn to cowards, and it would all go to chaos. _Hell Leon could probably pick all these guys apart by himself with his rifle_. I thought with a chuckle, it made me sad that I hadn't brought him. We ride together, we die together. We were partners in crime. He was hurt when I left without him. But I gave the little greater good speech and told him to take care of Rea. She had been hysterical when I took off without saying goodbye... I could see her crying in the rear view mirror when I left. It was too hard for me to be that emotional when I had all that anger flooding through me. Back then all that was on my mind was the fear and the panic. The reaction to imminent danger.

Now I realised that reaction was going to get me killed, and I was actually okay with it. My grief and my introversion would eventually start impacting the group anyway, best that I die trying to relieve them of more grief. Shumpert was relaxed in my grip, we had been together long enough now that he knew I wasn't going to kill him, I had him gagged for that very reason, there were two spotlights shining on me with stunningly bright lights that pierced my eyes. I tried to catch a look at the men on the wall but it was difficult to see anything outside of the light. I had to try and use Shumpert's head as a barrier from the blinding spotlights.

"I take it you got some kind of list of demands?" Came a loud and confident voice with a smooth southern accent. I saw two new figures had made their way onto the wall.

"No demands. I wanted to see the man in charge... Blake?" I asked loudly and calmly.

"You're talking to him. What's this about?"

"I'm the man that killed the two men of yours in that gas station, the one you sent this one to follow." I announced slowly.

I heard rifles cock and Blake started yelling over the sound. "Whoa! Whoa!" He said as they all paused. "Hear the boy out." He said softly. "Go on son!"

"My name is Eric. I been travelling around this area since it happened with my friend, avoiding large groups of people so we could go about our business without being harassed." I said softly. "Me and my friend came across your two men after having murdered a thirteen year old girls family, one of them right before her eyes and then trying to violate her. I couldn't allow it, when I tried to stop it your men tried to end my life. It wound up the other way." I said carefully. "I'm sorry that it had to happen like that but your men chose their own fates, I gave them a clean, easy way out." I said defensively, raising my voice as my emotion got the best of me.

"And they underestimated you?" He asked with a chuckle. He gave a whistle and the spotlights both shut off.

My eyes had white rings around them and my vision was blurred intensely for a minute or two as he spoke to his men. "This kid's got some balls huh?" He said with another laugh. "What's your move now big guy?" He asked with a grin as I looked up at his face.

He was exactly how Rea had described him, he was middle-aged, strong looking, full, thick head of black and grey hair. An aged sort of handsomeness to his look, he was wearing a padded, quilted, black winter shirt like the one I had been given by Rea in the clothes store. He had brown work pants on and simple black shoes. He looked like an average guy at first glance.

"I ain't come to kick up no shit sir." I said to him softly. "I came to give you the facts and surrender myself to you." The men on the wall all began to laugh and chuckle menacingly. I pulled the round out of the chamber of my pistol and unscrewed the silencer, I unloaded the clip and kicked it down the road towards the gate and slid my gun along the ground. I ripped the tape off of Shumpert's mouth and pushed him forward. I held the keys up from my pocket.

Blake was silent for a moment before he jumped down off the wall onto our side and I slid the keys along the ground towards Shumpert. I began to unbuckle the rest of my weapons and placed them at my feet as Blake released Shumpert from his cuffs. "Go on back inside, get your cuts seen to by Stevens." Blake said to the big man as he glared at me longingly.

Blake walked up to where I was standing and kicked my weapons behind him. The Latino man had followed him down onto the ground and he picked up all my shit. "Take that to my apartment." He ordered strongly. "Welcome to Woodbury son." He said to me with the happiest grin... But _behind_ the joy... _something more sinister was lurking_


	11. Helpless Motivation

**This is Woodbury in the early days, they do not yet even have all their survivors and they are still putting the finishing touches on the walls. Merle is still a bit of a new face. The direction I'm going in is to set up a history between The Governor and Eric before the beginning of season three.**

**This chapter Eric is released from his shackles as he is shown around Woodbury. He struggles both internally and externally to stay alive until a surprise visitor turns his whole world on its head.**

**The next morning: 7.04am.**

The banging on the door woke me up, my head was pounding, it felt like the dried blood on my face was cracking as I moved and I gasped for air as I righted myself in the chair. The ropes around my arms and chest were tight and I was surprised that even knocked out, I had managed to get any rest at all. Blake had walked me through town into this dungeon where he had the Latino tie me up and he let Shumpert in here for his revenge. Shumpert simply punched me until I was near dead and then left. I was glad he didn't burn or stab me, but t kind of made me wonder if I had been a tiny bit excessive while questioning him. Maybe I _was _slowly losing my mind and I couldn't even see it.

The banging only got louder. "Come in!" I called angrily.

The Latino man burst in and kicked me in the chest, I fell to the floor and he leaned over me with a snarl. "Blake told me to wake you up at seven, he didn't tell me I had to put up with the sound of your bitch ass voice."

I chuckled as he hissed at me and I spat up at him daringly. He swore as he wiped the blood and saliva off of his face and smashed a right hook at mine. I laughed as he connected and he swore at me in Spanish. "Come on now Martinez, I told you I was letting him go this morning."

"Piece of shit spat at me." He complained. I looked up to see who had spoken first.

"And I told you not to hurt him." The man said with an angry edge in his voice.

Martinez was about to reply until the newcomer walked right up to him and stood over him, he hawked and spat right on the soldiers shoulder. Martinez looked at it and looked away with a grimace. "You gonna break the rules now? Punch me up?" He asked with a small, menacing grin.

Martinez looked away and exhaled slowly and raggedly. "No sir."

"An order is an order Martinez and mine will be followed to the letter or next time it won't be no spit I'm punishing you with. Y'hear?" He asked the man, his voice raising threateningly.

"I do sir." Martinez muttered.

"So hard to find good help these days." I said with a chuckle.

Martinez turned on me and lifted his boot up to stomp me. "Martinez!" He shouted with authority. "Go clean yourself up! Before I have to kill you!" He shouted, pulling out his gun from the holster and keeping it aimed at the ground.

"Yeah, go be a good boy!" I yelled after the man as he walked out in a sulk. "Fucking spic." I said grudgingly, spitting out more blood on the ground.

"Well, when you murder some of the men he's been fighting with... what do you expect?" Blake grunted as he heaved my chair upright. He moved behind me and began to work towards releasing the rope. "I hope you understand the need for me to let Shumpert have his revenge."

"On the contrary, I thank you for getting it out of the way right away." I grunted in pain. "I told him that would happen on the way up here."

"Once I get you out of these ropes you can go and see Stevens and he'll patch you up, then you can go get yourself cleaned up, pick out some fresh clothes if you like, your weapons are at my apartment. You should go straight there, the folks here won't take too kindly to a murderer roaming their streets..." He said solemnly as the ropes fell loosely from my chest.

I gingerly untangled myself as Blake moved towards the door. "Murderer!?" I asked angrily. "I defended myself." I stated plainly.

"I realise that... I had to paint a picture... to boost morale." He said. "Get yourself seen to. I gotta run a few errands, I'll see you at my apartment. One of the nurses will show you the way."

He left then and I could hardly stand... My clothes had been scattered. My pants were still on, as were my boots but my hoodie was on the floor covered in blood and my plaid shirt was hanging from me by one button, I had bruises and cuts on my face and my body was battered just as badly. I had to lean on the walls as I exited the room. I went upstairs and saw Blake walking away from an attractive, black-haired, middle-aged woman. She seemed afraid but she approached me nonetheless. Her face was full of pity as I limped towards her, clutching my throbbing ribcage.

She tried not to stutter as she spoke but her eyes were filled with fear and I had to say something. "I-I have been told to e-escort you to the infirmary..." She began shakily.

"Tell me the way, I will go there myself. You don't have to do this." I said, my voice was raspy from the effort of climbing the stairs.

"I a-am Karen." She said a bit more confidently. "Don't worry about it, you need the help." She said, softening up a bit. She grabbed a folded up blanket from the shelf on the wall next to the doorway and wrapped it around my shoulders. I shuddered at the soft feeling on my bruised body, it felt strange and nice at the same time.

Karen put one of my arms over her shoulder and took most of the weight as we exited the room. We went outside and I took in Woodbury. We were in a suburban town centre. There were a few tall buildings with apartments. I saw a big stone building that must have been the town hall. There were a few buildings that used to have shops in them, probably fast food or clothes shops. Now they were used as either storage or kitchens or other things. The people that were around were wary as I passed through. They had been warned about my departure from captivity obviously. As most of them were out there looking at me. A few of them called out angrily and muttered insults but I paid them no attention.

There were children, and women, plenty of women, most of the town seemed to be inhabited by civilians. The soldiers were few but they were well armed and most of them _seemed_ ruthless, but I was not in any state to make judgements of peoples character. We reached the medical tents and Karen took the blanket off of me. She took my shirt off slowly and left me leaning on my cot. I crawled onto it and lay down heavily.

"He was beaten by Shumpert, his ribs seem to have taken a beating." I heard Karen say as I closed my eyes.

"He may have a concussion. He shouldn't have been moved like this." I heard a strange voice say.

**Later that afternoon: 3.11pm**

I blinked as I tried to take in my surroundings when I woke up. I was no longer in the infirmary tent, that much was for sure. The room I was in, looked lavish, it was packed with photos and everything that an average home had, plus a few weapons on hand. As I started to get my vision back better I could see my weapons all hung up in a trophy case on a wall in the next room. My shoulder holster and belt were empty and folded up on the bench below it. I smiled with relief; it felt bad to be away from them for so long.

I assumed that this was Blake's room after I caught what was in one of the photos in the next room. It was of him hugging some young girl that I guessed was his daughter and I suddenly hoped that he hadn't lost her for some reason. I heard tip-toeing in the next room and coughed. "Hello?" I called softly.

"You're awake." I heard a female voice say. The woman popped her head around the corner of the next room and came wandering out cautiously.

"I'm in too much pain to be any danger to you darlin'." I said with a chuckle which made me cough and grunt in pain.

"I've got some pills... pain pills. It'll help for a while at least." She said with a half smile.

I accepted the pills gratefully and she handed me a small glass of water. I took them swiftly and lay back trying to get comfortable somehow. I looked up at her. She had a soft face, thin but full. Her eyes were a bright hazel-gold colour and her hair was a medium shade of brown. She had a few faded freckles on her cheeks but otherwise she looked to be in her early twenties. She was reasonably short, a bit shorter than me but that was no surprise. Her body was well curved and developed and she carried herself well. She was wearing a tight, white, open shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a low-cut t-shirt underneath, she had tight blue jeans on and a pair of slip-on, brown and white sneakers, her brown hair was damp and hanging loose. She was beautiful, I had to admit, but I was in too much pain to move any further with that thought.

"Thank you. For caring for me..." I wheezed from the bed. "I know the town thinks I'm some kind of murderer."

"Not everyone." She said slowly. She looked at the ground before walking out again and I sighed. "Blake said that you could pick out what clothes you wanted when you were well enough to get up and then you could talk." She called from the other room, I could hear her scrambling with her things as she packed them away. "I'll be back in about two hours to check on you." I heard the door slam shut as she left the room  
I smiled at the ceiling in my cot and chuckled to myself. "This is fucked up." I whispered.

My first few attempts to get up would have been funny in a different situation, but each one brought me more pain. I eventually decided I was being a pussy and heaved myself up to a sitting position on the bed, panting and spluttering by the time I got there. My ribs were still sore and now my whole upper body was beginning to ache every time I tried to stretch. The wardrobe to the right of the bed was open and I could see a selection of clothes inside. I picked a pair of dark blue sweatpants and a long sleeved white t-shirt. There was a pair of black and red running shoes inside so I put them on also.

The process did leave me in pain and I decided not to wear a coat to avoid causing my body any more stress. I levered myself up properly and lean against the doorway into the sitting room. It was a cool setup, a small kitchen, small dining table and small sitting area all in one area. It was simple and welcoming and I plopped myself down on the comfiest seat in the sitting area. There was a jug of water on the coffee table and I filled up one of the glasses next to it and sipped at it thirstily.

I went through about three more glasses before Blake came back home. He came alone, I was surprised by that, but also relieved. He came in and dumped his stuff and went about his coming home routine as usual. I stayed in the sitting area awkwardly and he smiled as he came out of his bedroom and sat heavily on the couch next to the chair I was in. "Another day in paradise huh?" I asked him sarcastically.

"Something like that." He said with a grin. "The nurse tells me your ribs don't have any permanent damage, a few days on pain meds and you'll be fine, cuts on you face should be healed by then too." He said softly.

"Then what? Are you going to kill me?" I asked him cautiously.

"I have a few ideas that I want to run by you about your staying here but we need to discuss a few things before that." He stated strongly.

"Such as?" I asked, painfully repositioning myself.

"You killed two of my men, which will have to be publicly rectified." I stated simply. "Don't worry, you'll have your chance." He assured me before I could speak. "There are plenty of empty houses for you to stay at while you're here, you'll be two doors down from me under guard... I hope you understand." He said softly. I nodded to him and he chuckled. "First time I got beat, I found whiskey... to be a helpful cure..." He said, standing up purposefully, he began striding away towards the kitchen are as he spoke. "What we have here. It's unstable. It isn't completely solid yet I'm still unsure of my people. The men you killed were savages to be sure, this wasn't the first report I've had of some heinous act they've committed on a run, but this _is _the first time that someone has been killed on a run. I have to deliver a _strange_ form of justice, that you may not like, but it has to be done none the less." He said sincerely, he sat back down at the table and slid me a half full glass of pure whiskey.

I looked at him and chuckled, but it hurt my ribs and I only ended up coughing. "Merle?" I asked him, he perked up in surprise and grinned at me half-heartedly. "Where is he?"

"Ran off for a while, took a few men to look for his brother." He admitted to me plainly, I believed him when he said it but I was worried about my situation all the while. I skulled back the entire glass of liquor and gasped as it hit my throat, a part of me relaxed at it's effect but I told myself to stay vigilant, this was no time to ease up.

"Are you still going to hurt my people?" I asked him, trying to hold a stern tone.

"Funny... I thought that you'd more concerned about what is happening to you." He said with a chuckle as he downed his own drink and refilled both glasses. "Oh!" He said with a look of realisation. "I almost forgot." He reached into his back pocket and handed me a packet of twenty five tailor-made cigarettes; unopened. "Shumpert said you smoked, I figured you'd be hanging out for one by now, those are for you." He said with a grin as he slid along to the table and they landed next to my whiskey glass.

"My people?" I asked him.

"Why not bring them here? Into the fold... The more people who live here the safer and better this place becomes. Why not put it all behind us?" He asked with a grin.

"Then let me go and ask them." I said with heavy breaths.

"When you've healed..." He said carefully. "You have another trial to go through before that however. But you'll find out about that soon enough. If you survive that, we will talk about your group." He said, sipping on his glass of whiskey.

"No." I said simply. "This task of yours, sound like a fight... right?" I asked calmly, he didn't react and I smiled. "A fight, of some sort, if I win I'm innocent if I lose I die as a murderer... I get it... well not really but I ain't got much choice. But if I die, I want you to promise me that the feud is over, no going after my group, none of them did a single bad thing in their lives." I told him confidently.

"You're a smart kid, I could use someone with some brains around here like you. We'll see just how capable you are soon enough. After that we'll talk again." Blake said as he drunk down his whiskey, he knocked sharply and I heard the front door open. "He'll take you to your room." He said simply, looking away from me straight away. I chuckled and swigged back the rest of my drink, stuffing the cigarettes in my pocket. I trudged past the man towards the door grudgingly without looking at him and he stayed two steps behind me.

"We've moved all your stuff you had in there." The man said gruffly, something about his voice rung a bell for me but I didn't look at him. I stumbled painfully down the hallway towards my door and the man reached out to steady me. I pushed his hand away and carried on angrily. I made it to the door and busted through. I was panting as I stumbled onto my knees on the floor. I almost lay on the ground but I stayed hunched over, my mouth was drooling and my guts were in so much pain I cold hardly move.

"Kid... Are you alright?" The man asked as I felt him heave me up by my armpits. He sat me on the bed and I leaned against the wall, clutching my ribs in pain.

"I seen Shumpert kill a man with his bare hands once... Your lucky that you..." The man began to grunt as I looked up and saw that familiar old bearded face.

"Whiskey!" I sad suddenly.

The man stood and looked around. "Phillip said he left you some here."

"I don't want more booze Whiskey, I mean you... Whiskey!" I yelled with a realisation, urging him to recognise me.

"I'm Addison... I don't know what you think you know but..." He suddenly stopped in his tracks as I sat up and looked at him. He almost stumbled and found himself grabbing a desk chair and sitting down in shock. "Eric... Eric fucking Paxton... The fucking odds." He said with a faint whisper. "Only reason I'm not hugging the _shit_ out of you right now is cos you're injured you little bastard." He said angrily. He reached out and grabbed my hand and I smiled as I looked at him with a thousand memories flooding through my head.

Addison 'Whiskey' Varmint was a friend of my fathers. Silas Paxton was a high ranking member of a motorcycle gang, a gang that got into some deep shit back in the days when I was there; it was chaos. The Bloodhounds were not the biggest or most feared gang but they did a lot of shit on the sly that no one ever found out about. Silas and Whiskey were best friends. Good criminal and bad criminal, my Uncle Whiskey was a common refuge when Silas was in a rage. Me, Rory and Darren spent most of our younger lives there. Whiskey had long grey and black hair with a braid in the side that he slicked back and a full, bushy, long beard covering his face. His mother was Native American so his skin was tanned. He was a naturally big man, his shoulders and chest were still wider than his stomach, even at his age and he hadn't seemed to have shrunk all that much, his muscles were slightly bigger than I remember to be honest, he had a scar on his cheek that was in the shape of a jagged Y. His eyes were a light brown colour. He wore a dark blue bandana over his forehead and fringe and had his dark brown leather jacket on over a tight white sports t-shirt, he was wearing black, faded jeans and a brown belt.

"How the hell did _you_ get here?" He asked angrily.

I held a finger to my lips as I heard a door open and Whiskey turned around and headed to the front door. "All settled in?" I heard Phillip ask.

"He'll be right." Whiskey confirmed and Blake chuckled.

"He's all yours." Phillip said as he strode away purposefully.

"Oh joy." Whiskey audibly muttered as a joke and Phillip laughed his way down the hall. He turned on me and looked at me in a panic. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What!?" I asked defensively.

"How did you get here?" He asked angrily.

"By van."

"Cut it smart ass." Whiskey said strongly.

"We lived in King County. Me and Leon." I said simply.

"Do you have any idea about...?" He asked me, his eyes welling up with tears.

"If it's about any of my family they can all go fuck themselves..." I said to him in anger, once again hurting my ribs.

He looked at me in shock and looked at the wall with a weird look in his eye. "I can't believe it... When Silas came home bit and Darren got bit on the road back from Louisville, your brother Rory was about to give up... I pulled him out of it... and then... Oh fuck." He said, crouching down and looking at the floor.

"I don't want to hear about Rory!" I told him angrily.

"He's here, you could even see him if you want." Whiskey said sadly.

"Nope."

"Course not." He said, looking at the door with a frown.

"You're gonna be resting here a few days, Martinez will watch you during the day, I take over mid afternoon." Whiskey said after a pause.

"Why are _you_ here?" I asked him with an attitude.

"Me and Rory and Darren were going to head to you're Uncle Matt's house in Atlanta to go to the safe zone there. The one at Lexington was fucked already, so we couldn't get to Louisville." He explained, looking at nothing intensely as he remembered the 'early days'. "When the streets got napalmed we were watching... we headed up the road and avoided the riots. We were on our own for about three weeks before Blake and his small group found us, we been with him since." Whiskey explained looking at the ground.

"You gonna tell me about him?" I asked him cautiously.

"Why should I? You're only going to destroy my home." Whiskey said angrily. "Woodbury is... y-you _can't_ attack it, can't _hurt _it."

"Why?" I asked him, looking at him strangely. "Why are you acting so weird?"

"I'm going to arrange a visit for you." He said, standing up and leaving the room. He poked his head back around the doorway. "Don't go anywhere right?" He said with a grin.

I gestured to my ribs. "Yeah..! Right." I said grudgingly.

**Later that night:** **11.15pm**

"So where's your cut?" I asked him.

"I still got it... Hidden, people don't take well to gang insignia these days." Whiskey commented as he too a swig of his namesake from the bottle I had found.

"And you're Harley?" I asked carefully.

"Mine got stolen during the looting. Your dad's is in the garage. Rory has one of his own." Whiskey said simply

"This strange visit you keep telling me about... It isn't _him _is it?" I asked him impatiently.

I took a swig as he answered and lit up one of the cigarettes Phillip had given me. "You'll have to wait and see, can I bum one off ya?" He asked when he saw the packet.

I pulled one out for him and tossed it over softly. He lit it up and sighed deeply as he inhaled. "Long time?" I grunted.

"Too long." He said in a haze, he shook his head and looked at me strangely. "These people you want to protect, you actually think that you can?" He asked curiously.

"Guess you'll have to wait and see." I said with a chuckle.

"Fair enough then." He said, leaning back and taking another drag. I smoked mine as well and downed half of my glass.

We heard a soft tap on the door and I looked around startled. Whiskey stood up and answered the door, smoke drifting behind his wide form as he puffed away. He opened the door and the nurse from earlier tucked her head in. "Ah... It's time for him to have his meds." She said with an innocent smile. Whiskey gave her the thumbs up and stepped out into the hallway, he looked like he was messing with something outside and I noticed the nurse approach me for the fifth time that day.

"Why won't you tell me your name darlin'?" I asked her with a cheeky smile.

She looked back at me with a slightly amused but tired face and smiled. "Because you'll be dead before long. Just like the rest of the people that cross him." She said quietly. I took the pain pills and she sighed. "But I am real glad you are _here_. Try not to get too worked up. Remember how late it is..." She whispered to me, bringing her face closer. She kissed my cheek and backed away.

"What do you mean?" I asked in utter confusion.

She turned back and smiled widely. "You'll see." She answered, before walking away.

As soon as she started walking I heard it. I was scared of my assumption being the truth but what else would it be. It explained why Whiskey had been acting strange... And it explained what the nurse had said. When I heard it the rest of the world went quiet and the little sounds and noises that escaped it's mouth was all that was left around me. I could hear it cooing and gurgling before I could see it and Whiskey's giant form came into view holding a small white and grey bundle. I saw a little pink arm reach up and grab his beard and he chuckled and whispered to it soothingly. Something in my chest exploded and I fell to my knees on the ground.

"W-w-What?" I began to stammer.

"He's yours Eric... This is your son... Rochelle's son." Whiskey said to me and I rose up to my feet in more pain than I had ever experienced but his cries kept me moving. Whiskey delivered him to me delicately with his huge arms as a cradle. My arms and body were aching as I lifted my son's weight and I sat back on the bed. I kissed his forehead and his cheeks and stroked his hair. He reached up and gurgled with a laugh as he wrapped his hands around my fingers and I sobbed as I looked at him.

"How old is he?"

"Three and a half months." Whiskey muttered. "Ro died giving birth to him on the road. We met them a few days earlier. Her and her father, her father died in the riots after the streets got napalmed."

"Fuck me." I said, shedding tear after tear as my son smiled up at me and I stroked his soft cheeks. "Why was she with you? How did she find you?"

"She got kicked out. Stole her father's money and moved up our way looking for you. Waiting for you to come back... Her father must have followed her just before the turn or something.'" Whiskey said softly.

"Who's been...?" I sobbed.

"I did at first, found it some formula, since we got set up at Woodbury it's been Nurse Lila who's watched him." Whiskey said lowly.

"The one who was just in here?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Yeah. Just a young med student. Loves the shit outta the boy though." He explained with a grin.

"He doesn't have a name?" I asked sadly.

"No... we just call him boy." Whiskey said sadly. "I was gonna say Si..." He began to say.

"Fuck that!" I announced in a hushed whisper to avoid setting him off. "Don't you suggest that piece of shit's name to me... ever!" I warned him. "Now take him out of here, before I get seen with him. Take him to _Lila_!" I said grudgingly. I handed my son back to him and turned over on the bed, facing the wall. I was in too much danger to start being careless.


	12. Nice Guys Finish Last

**I just want to quickly say as a reminder that I only own my original characters. The walking dead world and the rest of my characters belong to AMC and the creators of everyone's favourite show.**

**This chapter Eric comes to a close with his healing process in Woodbury, Winter begins in full swing and Eric will be forced to decide what he wants to do with his life.**

**Three days later: 6.22pm**

One night a week everybody gathered in the town hall for dinner, tonight was such a night as I sat on a lounger chair with my dinner plate in the corner. A fair distance away Nurse Lila was sitting with my son bobbing him up and down on her knee playfully as he squealed and everyone around looked at him lovingly. The sight brought me pain and joy at the same time. My son had a beautiful, safe beginning to his life now, but he wasn't _mine_. No one knew, a select handful but I needed to have him. I didn't care whether the both of us died. I needed to have my son with me. I had decided the moment I had seen Rochelle's green eyes looking up at me that I would live and I would protect this baby with my life.

My healing was coming to an end, I needed to keep my wits about me while I was here but all I could do was stare at my son with longing. I noticed Shumpert approaching me as I finished my dinner. I got up to take my plate to the dish table but he put a hand on my chest and sat me back down. He kneeled in front of me. "I am sorry... for the beating. It was a bad couple days and a bad reaction for both of us... I need you to know that I understand why you did it, and I am impressed by how brave you've been all this time." Shumpert said to me, I was about to respond but he simply nodded and got to his feet, striding away purposefully.

I looked around, a few people had been watching us warily, probably waiting for a fight to break out. I laughed and picked up the plate and took it to the dish table. I stacked everything in place neatly and thanked the people who had been serving the food. "Nights like this remind me of why I put up with you people." Phillip announced from the head of the table where he stood tall holding his glass of beer high. "Night's where we can all gather as a family and remember the struggle that has brought us all together, that has brought us all so close. So we can remember the people who have given their lives so that this place could exist..." He said solemnly and everyone silently nodded to each other around the hall. "Most of all we contemplate the future, our safety, our security, our potential lives within these walls and we thank god for showing us a strength that we never knew existed inside of us. So raise your glasses in toast..." He said as everyone followed him like sheep, I stood by the door, against the wall, chuckling to myself. "...to yourselves, for making it this far, and for staying strong through all the tragedy and misfortune." He announced as everyone grinned and chuckled and drank back.

As the party began to start Nurse Lila stood from her spot at the table and packed up her things. She put my son in the carry seat next to her and moved towards where I stood at the door. She stepped right up to me and brushed up against me as she softly whispered in my ear. "Whiskey will bring you to my apartment tonight. I'm a few levels above you." She said. I gave my son a brief glance and smiled before nodding to her.

She took off out the door and I grinned at the prospect of seeing my son privately again. Whiskey came trudging over to me from the side, I didn't look but I could hear it was him by the chains that he had hanging from his belt jingling around as he marched over. He was holding a pump action shotgun and had a beanie over his long hair. He leaned up against the wall next to me and pointed to where Phillip Blake was standing with Karen and two other women laughing and joking.

"That man would have been perfect for politics." He grumbled to me with a chuckle.

"He's a bit intense for my liking." I stated.

"Mine too, but he's got us this far." He said looking at him admiringly.

"Hows his methods?"

"How are yours? What does it matter, every group will do shit their own way, no point in us getting mixed up about morality. I never worried about it before." He said with a complacent shrug.

"Yeah... I know _that_." I said with an attitude.

"You seen Rory yet?" Whiskey asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretending he doesn't exist." I said with a grin. "He's fatter than I remember."

"I wouldn't call it fat..." Whiskey said defensively.

I chuckled. "This place could be a great camp... but it needs a better leader, this guy is shady, and the men he uses are brutes..."

"Like me?" He asked.

"You do this because you have to... not because you want to... I know you Uncle Whiskey." I muttered to him.

He pushed himself off the wall and strode away. "You keep telling yourself that." He said as he left.

I shook my head and walked out of the front door. The streets were lit by fires in barrels along the footpath. I walked out onto the patch of grass outside the hall and sat down. It was a bit damp but I wasn't worried. Right now I was scared... It had been days since I had seen my group, for all I knew they were all walkers, or Blake had already had them killed, or they were on the road again. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving them behind but my son was my new priority. I would die before leaving here without him and as always... I had no intention of dying.

It was such an amazing coincidence that my son was here, along with one of my brothers and my father's partner in crime. I couldn't believe my luck, occasionally I would wait for the moment when I would wake up back at the bar but I failed to go back every time. I stood back up and lit another cigarette, I had been breezing through the packet that Phillip had given me. I had been so stressed the entire time that I was here that it just came naturally to use them to ease the tension.

Phillip came wandering outside, his footsteps were soft as he approached me and I grinned up at him. "Tomorrow will be your... 'trial'." He said, looking at the ground. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry it has to go down this way, after these few days, seeing how you carry yourself... I wish it could all just be let go." He said, it seemed sincere to me and I was touched.

"Thank you Mr Blake. I appreciate your concern. Whatever I have to do to show all your lovely people here that I'm innocent." I looked out at the darkening sky and grinned. "You figure that Merle isn't coming back."  
Blake chuckled heartily as he looked at the ground and shook his head, an amused grin stretched across his features. "If he does, he's gonna have a lot to answer for."

"This group he's hunting? Do you know anything about them?" I asked him suddenly, it was a daring question, he had every reason no to be discussing this with me but he looked at me and laughed.

"Just what Merle has told me..." He explains. "Sounds a docile bunch by his description."

"Right." I said, looking at him briefly before stubbing the cigarette out underfoot. "Night boss." I said, walking off toward our apartment block.

**Early next morning: 12.36am**

"So she lied to you... About how far along she was." Lila said as she ate another grape.

"Yea, when she told me she said two months, she must been about five or six by then." I muttered as my son clutched at the soft toy I was wiggling at him playfully.

"Have you thought about any names?" She asked.

"Well what do you think? You looked after him." I asked her sincerely.

"But he isn't mine. You should name him Eric." She said with a smirk.

"Why didn't Rory?" I asked her.

"Your brother didn't want anything to do with it really, he said it would be another coward like you..." She said hesitantly.

"Coward? I outta..." I said, raising my voice.

"No you god damn will not!" Lila said warningly. "This baby needs his daddy. You are _not_ going to get yourself killed, understand?"

I was surprised at the urgency in her tone and smirked. "What's got you so scared Lila? Is it this place?" I asked her softly.

"It's _him_." She said nervously, shivering as she spoke.

"Blake?"

"He is pure evil." She said quietly. "I've seen him wipe out about four or five groups just to take their supplies. Now he's going on about their mission to find the helicopter..." She said angrily. "More dead groups to come. Yours will be next, I promise you that." She said sadly.

"He seems a straight up guy to me Lila, how do you know?" I asked her.

"I was in the infirmary tent searching behind some cabinet and I heard him come in and kill some guy we found in the woods after he asked him where his group was held up so he could go get them. He has no idea I know, everyone here follows him like he's god and we don't get too many outsiders and the only ones who come in are brought by him to work for him. You're the first chance I've had." She said, she looked at me as he eyes teared up and I looked away.

"What is it you think I can do Lila? I'm not a superhero. I ain't good with words. No one would believe me if I even told them." I said to her.

"It isn't right that he should just get away with this like its business as usual." She said grudgingly.

"Are you gonna leave here?" She asked me, she began crawling closer to me as her eyebrows softened up and her tears began to fall. "If you can't do anything to save this place... Could you p-please at least take me back with you. I-I can't be here." She said with a sob. "They'll all die here." She sniffled.

"I doubt I'll make it out unscathed alone Lila. And I'm planning on taking him with me, I can't watch three peoples backs at once." I told her sorrowfully.

"I-I understand." She said sadly looking the other way.

"I don't even know what's going to happen tomorrow Lila, I could just be taken to a wall and shot and the head for all I know... But I will do my utmost tomorrow to get you out with me. Just know that as soon as they figure out your allegiances they will try to kill you. The risk will be incredible darlin'." I told her flatly.

She looked back at me with a wide smile and threw herself at me. We fell to the ground as she hugged me tightly and my boy cooed from the ground in front of us. We chuckled as she rolled us around on the ground and as she relaxed she was leaning over me and her bright gold eyes were glinting as she stared down at me. I found my hand was on her hip and the other was on her thigh. She arched her back as she came down slowly. Our lips brushed together softly and she smiled at me with a moan. I kissed her on the lips and she returned it at the same time hungrily, we began to make out as she straddled me and began lifting my t-shirt over my head. I felt around her legs and her ass as my shirt went over my head and she came down and kissed me again. She began grinding herself on my crotch as I lifted her singlet over her head and unhooked her bra skilfully with one hand.

She ripped it off and I began to feel her breasts as she worked with my belt. I got taken over by the feeling and lifted her off of her feet. She squealed with delight as I pinned her up against the wall and let my pants drop down. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I kissed her as we began to fuck.

**The next morning: 8.15am**

I woke up in my own apartment. Lila and the baby were in here with me and I couldn't remember coming down here at all last night. I sat up in bed. Lila was lying naked next to me with the blanket only just covering her figure and I smiled to myself. This was the first I had since Ro and I didn't feel guilty. It was a valuable lesson for me, I had been scared that I would never be able to be with anyone again... after Ro... but apparently I could, _and with a serious degree of enjoyment too_. I thought to myself with an inward grin.

Lila stirred next to me and turned to face up at me and pulled the sheet over her upper body. She opened her eyes and smiled up at me half-heartedly. "You carried me down here?" I asked.

She was barely understandable but I made the best sense of it I could. "I was so exhausted when I was done, I just had to stay." She said. "I hope you don't mind." She said, looking at me apologetically.

"Exactly the opposite." I said sliding alongside her and putting a hand on her waist again.

"You ready for another ride cowboy?" She asked lustfully as she leaned in to my air and I felt her hot breath.

I crawled on top of her and we began to kiss passionately but my son started to cry loudly. I panicked and she got up, with no clothes on and grabbed him, bobbing him in her arms as he started to quieten down and we both whispered to him lovingly.

I heard movement in the building and grimaced. I pulled my boxer shorts back on and sat on the edge of the bed looking exhausted. Lila's naked body was covered in a blanket as she walked around with the baby.

I heard the heavy footsteps approach the door and Blake spoke to Martinez in a hushed voice.

"Nurse Lila." He said as he busted the door opened. "Heard you were in here... _entertaining _our guest. It's best you leave now... Young Eric here has a rough day ahead of him." Blake said ominously.

Lila dressed as swiftly as she could and gave me a long kiss before she left with my son. I reached into the wardrobe in the apartment as Phillip came back in. "Good night?"

"First time in a while." I said with a grin. "Girl was kind of enough to act as my last supper." I said as he chuckled along.

"That's good news I suppose. Come along into my room when you're dressed and ready. We'll talk." He said with a small smile before leaving quietly and closing the door.

I sighed in relief as I picked out a pair a dark grey cargo pants and tucked the bottoms into a pair of dark brown work boots. I put on a long sleeve, tight, black thermal t-shirt with a thick, white and red, winter t-shirt with a graffiti logo on the front over top of it. I wrapped a black scarf around my neck and it hung loosely down my front. I placed a dark grey beanie over my short, light blonde hair and rubbed my eyes. I went to the cooler and grabbed a chilled bottle of water. I skulled back a half a bottle and sighed before walking out of the door feeling refreshed and prepared.

I knocked on Blake's door and he called from inside. "Come on in Eric."

I walked inside and closed the door behind me gently. There was a small, comical looking man in a sweater vest and suit pants standing over Phillip's shoulder as he was reading something.

"I don't believe you've met." Phillip muttered, without looking away from the sheet.

"Eric." I said, shaking hands with the short man in the glasses.

"Milton. I'm sort of an advisor..." He said awkwardly. The man had a nervous and awkward feel about him, I could tell that if I stayed here he would end up on the wrong side of my nerves.

"Glad to meet you Milton." I said politely with a tight smile, before standing back and waiting patiently.

Blake took a little while longer to read the paper as we stood in silence and Milton looked me over with an admiring eye. "You got something to say?" I asked rudely and he looked at me in shock.

"So hostile... I'm sorry I just can't help myself... I'm looking forward to today." He said with a weird smile.

_What is this guys deal?_ I asked myself curiously. Blake finished reading then and looked up at me. "Oh yes, Milton here has requested a recorded interview with you before we begin today. That's what you'll be doing for the morning. Consider it a... pre-punishment." He said with a slight laugh. He handed the piece of paper back to Milton. "Keep up the good work." He said kindly.

Milton looked at me awkwardly. "It won't be _that_ bad." He said quietly. "My lab is the building opposite the infirmary. Meet me in the basement level in fifteen minutes." He said simply before leaving with a quirky walk.

I chuckled as he closed the door behind him and Phillip smiled at me. "A necessary annoyance." He assured me.

"I'm sure." I said with an exaggerated nod. "I'm gonna hunt down some quick grub." I said as I headed toward the door.

"Ask for Rory, he should be in charge of kitchen duty this morning." Phillip said simply, returning to some more papers in front of him. He began to unfold a map as I left.

I began to walk towards the stairs that led to the exit. _Rory_. I thought angrily, the last thing I wanted from that piece of shit was a conversation. Rory was a daddy's boy from the get go, always hanging out at the clubhouse with the bikers, he was always dreaming of the day when he would get a Harley and a patch. I never wanted to throw the dog on my back but Rory couldn't wait. The patch of The Bloodhounds was of a burning bloodhound snarling, it's bared teeth spiralling out of it's mouth into a tribal pattern that surrounded the image. Throwing the dog on your back was getting yourself patched in, part of the gang, wearing that cut every day for the rest of your life. That's all Rory had ever wanted. Follow in big daddy's footsteps.

Silas had twisted his mind and our junkie bitch of a mother had twisted Darren's mind and taken him miles away from our town into Lexington. I had been a harder kid to tame for Silas. He had always resented me for some reason, I was the first kid he had to raise from scratch on his own. My mother abandoned me after I was born. Whiskey was more of a parent to me than either of them. Rory put me through more shit than most of them. Day to day bullying topped with constant harsh and violent treatment that was shrugged off by an uncaring and distant father.

I stepped out onto the street towards the kitchen for our apartment block, there were a few people already down there, some of them still looked at me warily but as a whole they had gotten used to my presence in there town, I had done nothing to threaten anyone and they had determined that I was nothing to worry about. I strode past the dining area and swung the big kitchen door open. I saw Rory leaning over a few slices of bacon on an old over tray that was sitting over a small fire.

"Need a quick bite before I start the day, no time to wait in line." I said to him quickly, without meeting his eyes.

He stood up slowly and stared at me all the while. "You know abou..."

"The food chef, I ain't got time for small talk, I'm sorry." I said to him without any emotion.

"Eric..."

"Do you have anything or not?" I asked him angrily.

He slowly handed me a glad-wrapped bacon and egg sandwich that still felt warm. "Here." He said, his voice was shocked and hurt. "I love you brother, you be careful today, I heard some bad shit."

"Go fuck yourself Rory." I said, carrying the sandwich out of the kitchen and back onto the street without a second glance. I unwrapped it and began munching it down hungrily as I leaned against the wall of the building.

I saw Whiskey walk out of the apartment block and he chuckled to me. "Martinez just told me about your night..." He said with a chuckle. "Sounds like a good time."

I nodded to him with small grin and he laughed again. "I'm helping out the little science teacher looking guy today." I complained.

"Milton?" He asked with a smile. "He's not so bad." He grumbled.

"I'll be leaving today... one way or another..." I told him solemnly.

"I know what you have to do, and I'll do what I can to help but there are other factors we have to think about Eric." He said quietly before striding inside.

He was right. There was no way to plan what was to come, and it felt as though it would be damn near impossible to pull off. I hadn't even thought about what I would do. I guess I had to play it by ear now, keep up the charade until I knew what was happening. I set off towards where Milton had told me where his laboratory was with a heavy sigh as Woodbury woke up and prepared for the day all around me.

**Later that day: 2.14pm**

There wasn't a moment of the interview that didn't crawl under my skin. He asked me all sorts of personal questions about my life before the turn and all I had done since. I fed him a pack of bullshit and gritted my teeth all the while as he prodded away at my history... _always resisting that urge to end his interview with a quick right haymaker_. I thought as I sat in some lounge chair in a room where Martinez wa standing against an empty fireplace staring at me, his hands fingering the sub-machinegun that hung around his shoulder on a strap.

"You always this cheerful?" I asked him with a smirk.

He looked at me with a rage and grimaced angrily. "One of the men you killed, had a wife and two kids here, they ain't got no daddy anymore..." He said slowly.

This was news to me, and although it made me feel slightly bad for their situation I was not responsible for the man's death, he had brought it on himself. Martinez seemed to be even more infuriated by my complacency. "So the tough Mexican has a heart. Feeling bad for the family... I'm sorry I just didn't see you as being that soft-hearted."

He looked at me blankly and his head started shaking slowly as he smiled tightly. "I am going to enjoy the punch that kills you." He said menacingly and I stood up from the lounge chair. At that moment the door opened and Phillip strolled in casually. He looked at us squaring off at each other and chuckled in amusement.

"Put your dicks away huh gentlemen." He said in amusement. We both relaxed back to where we had been before and he sat in the lounge chair opposite me.

"Your trial will be soon, this afternoon." He explained softly. "Everyone has the afternoon off to watch, you and Martinez will fight each other to surrender or knock out and the winner determines your innocence." He said simply.

"And there's no way I can dissuade you to a less violent trial?" I asked with a hopeful smirk.

"It has been set up from the beginning Eric, I'm sorry." He said sincerely.

"It's okay." I said with a wide smile.

"Milton tells me the interview was a success, I will read it in more detail tonight." He said with a grin. "How'd you cope?" He asked.

"He's alive isn't he?" I asked sarcastically and Phillip chuckled loudly.

"We got a big gazebo area outside where we have our... _entertainment_." He said slowly. "Martinez will show you the way. Shumpert will get you prepared." I nodded to him and Martinez pushed himself off of the wall. We both went to walk away and Blake grabbed my arm gently as I passed him. He looked me in the eyes with a kindness I hadn't seen before and smirked. "Good luck kid." He said patting my shoulder gently.

Martinez and I went from the building they were in next to city hall down the hill a bit, there was a walkway not to far from the fences. Martinez turned down there and I followed him, trying to match his brisk pace, the man couldn't wait to fight me, _that _much was obvious. There was writing on the walls along the alleyway and it spoke of fights and champions and blood. It was all so ominous I started to feel a pang of fear in my heart. _Everything is fine_. _You are being paranoid you idiot_. I told myself with a deep breath. The walkway lead to a small square with bleacher seating all around it. There were white painted lines in the dirt square on the ground and I grunted out a laugh when I saw it.

Martinez went through the bleachers to a long caravan where all the fighting gear was. Shumpert was sitting inside twirling a coin through his fingers patiently as we arrived. "I used to be able to do that." I said, pointing to him with a smirk.

"Yeah, it takes constant practise to keep it up, he said flicking it in the air and catching it before he put it in his pocket.

Martinez snorted at them. "I'll get ready outside." He said angrily.

I smirked at Shumpert as Martinez slammed the door behind him and he gave me a sad smile. "I can take that guy..." I said with a chuckle.

"No doubt." He said distantly.

I took my top layer off and then dragged the shirt off of my torso leaving my upper body naked. Shumpert grabbed the hand wraps and I held my hands out for him. He slowly and nervously began wrapping my hands up. "Are you okay man? You hands are shaking." I said with a snort as I noticed his clumsiness.

He was sweating and his face was tormented and I looked at him carefully. "I'm fine." He said, looking at me angrily and I looked away from him.

"Sorry man, I just mean... If you wanna talk about something I got a little time I suppose." I said without looking his way.

I heard him sniffle and he smacked the desk with his palm as if in frustration. "Nothing, just... give me your hand back." He said angrily.

I gave him my hand and looked at him and saw tears on his face. I decided not to push him any further, I had no right to judge anyone for being introverted, but the poor guy seemed torn up about something. He got the first wrap done and wiped his eyes before wrapping up the next, even slower this time. "You okay, all healed from that beating?" He asked me suddenly.

"Yeah..." I said slowly and curiously, the man was acting strange, something suspicious was going on.

He looked at me and nodded. "Good, you'll need it. The Mexican looks easy but he's got a wicked left hook so watch yourself in there." He said with a straight face before finishing the last wrap. I stayed in the seat as he got up and knocked on the door. "We all done in here!" He called out. "You'd best go prove yourself." He said, waving at the door, looking at the floor.

I paused as I stood up and he watched me as I stepped toward the door hesitantly. "I'm sorry Eric." He said sadly, tears coming down his cheeks.

I smiled at him as I understood my situation and raised my hands before opening the door. Sure enough Martinez was waiting on the other side with is SMG pointed right at me. I kept my hands raised as I walked to him. "Come on in and see the little party we got set up for you." He said as he strode towards me. He grabbed the back of my collar and pushed me forward. "Walk! Back to the square!" He said angrily. "You want me to cut your fingers off you little bitch?" He asked me when I refused to move. I shook my head and started walking, he chuckled an evil laugh and lead me back towards the square.

I saw the bodies on their knees in front of him and I almost fell into despair. "I was following you every step of the way you stupid piece of shit." Martinez said angrily.

He threw me into the square and one of the civilians kicked me in the head. I fell to the ground in pain before getting back up and getting kicked back down by Martinez. I got a face full of dirt as all the Woodbury citizens hurled their screams and insults at me. I spat the dirt out of my mouth and looked up at where Blake was standing with an evil and violent glare in his eyes.

"You pathetic little son of a bitch." He said, striding through his prisoners and laying the butt of his pistol into my skull.

I tried to push myself up after the blow but the pain was intense.

He walked back around to behind his prisoners. I looked up from the ground groggily. Whiskey was bound and on his knees, Lila was on her knees with Rory's gun to her head and I looked my older brother in the eyes with a degree of disgust that I had never felt before in my life. Karen was standing behind them holding my baby.

Phillip shrugged his shoulders at me. "Any more skeletons you wanna get out of the closet?"


	13. A Feud Fuelled By Pride

**The Governors transition from Phillip Blake to The Governor interests me, I decided to try and make my character play a part in that. This chapter will not be the end of the rivalry. Merely a small battle in a very long war.**

**This chapter Eric is trapped between a rock and a hard place but unforeseen circumstances lead him to learning the true meaning of protecting the people you love.**

**Continued from last time frame**

"Those are _not _skeletons! _I_ am the one to blame Phillip." I said to him beggingly.

"_Don't _call me that!" He yelled threateningly, a psychopathic look in his eye.

"I'm sorry, just... don't hurt _them_." I said, trying not to stare at Rory.

Blake looked at me and chuckled. "Way I figure it... you owe me three things to prove yourself innocent. If you fight this piece of traitorous shit to the death...!" He yelled, pointing at Whiskey. "...and execute your Nurse whore who planned to abandon her people and told you a series of lies to try and make you take me from my position as leader... The third thing we can discuss privately... Maybe then you can walk out of here alive, but make no mistake I will be hunting you and your group down until you are all dead for what you have made happen here today."

I looked at Lila and Whiskey and choked on my saliva a little as I contemplated what he had said, I felt Martinez's gun against the back of my head. "Think quick, pretty boy." The man hissed.

I was about to turn and smack Martinez in the nuts in anger but a sudden shake in the ground stopped me, I followed my ears to where an explosion had gone off at one of the nearby walls. Everyone paused and looked around.

"What the fuck was that!?" Martinez screamed, people began to panic and run and for a moment I was forgotten. Phillip looked around in shock and sent Martinez and a few others to go check it out. Another explosion went off a bit further down the wall and I heard gunfire start to go off in the distance.

"We're under attack!" Martinez screamed back to them in fear. "They're shooting at the walls."

Blake swore. "Rory! Crowley! Watch the prisoners! Everyone get in your homes and let us handle this, stay low and stay quiet!" He announced as he rushed off towards the attack. The noise of gunfire made the chaos all the worse as people scrambled around each other and struggled their way off of the bleachers, three people fell from the higher levels and hurt themselves in falls and two people got trampled on the way out towards the apartments, there weren't even _that_ many people to make a stampede. The fear that the gunfire instilled into them made it happen nonetheless.

Everything cleared and the five of us waited there quietly and awkwardly as the gun fire continued and another grenade sounded. Shumpert was heading towards the square from the caravan at a jog, Crowley looked around desperately and Rory was staring right at me. I nodded to him slowly and he closed his eyes tight and grimaced with fear before opening them and nodding back.

He pointed his rifle up towards the town. "Fuck, What's that up there!?" He yelled with fake desperation. Crowley turned and looked up towards the buildings through his scope in panic for a while and Rory used the time to slip a knife into Whiskey's hands. I saw Whiskey's surprise but right away he began to saw through the zip-tie around his wrists with the small fold out knife. Rory turned and smashed the butt of his shotgun into Crowley's temple and he plummeted to the ground like a sack of bricks.

"Hey! What the fuck...!" Shumpert yelled as he reached for the pistol at his side.

But Whiskey was already on him. He was bleeding from the mouth ad his beard was stained with blood, he had been stripped to his tight, black, muscle t-shirt and he looked like a wild cave man as he grabbed Shumpert by the waist and threw him to the ground with a snarl. Whiskey leaned over the man and grabbed his throat with his left hand and began hammering blows into him like a jackhammer as Shumpert gargled and grunted on the ground in front of him.

I crawled over to where Lila was crying on her knees and I grabbed her neck and stroked her gently. Whiskey grabbed the pistol from Shumpert's hands and knocked him out with it before standing up and spitting at him. "We gotta get out of here. I dunno what that blast was but I'll take it as a miracle and take my leave." He said, panting heavily.

I stood up and Lila stood with me, sobbing and clutching my arm desperately. "You need to take her with you..." I said to Whiskey slowly.

Whiskey grabbed her hand and she went to him reluctantly. "I need to find my son." I told her. "Whiskey will protect you."

"What about me man?" I heard Rory say.

"I'm going to find him." I said, ignoring my brother and running away from them, taking Crowley's assault rifle with me, he had two clips with him and I made my way toward the apartments at a high speed, my eyes scanning everything around me for signs of my son's location. I stopped when I saw Karen in the lobby of one of the apartment buildings holding my baby.

She saw me and ran outside. "Take him." She yelled. "Shumpert told me he was yours. Take him and go. Get your group as far away from Georgia as you can get..." She said quickly and fearfully with wide, frightened eyes.

I grabbed the bundle, shocked at her words. _They knew he was evil_, _all of them_. Yet they all followed him like a king. I wrapped the rifle around my back and ran back to where the square was, puffing by the time I got there. Leon and Rory were standing there arguing and I managed to catch a glimpse of Michonne taking Whiskey and Lila over the wall. That relieved me a little at least.

"Leon!" I shouted desperately.

"Eric!" He screamed. He saw the bundle and clicked. "What the...!"

"We need to fucking move!' I yelled as I got to the square. Teddy approached me and took the baby off my hands and headed over to where Michonne had climbed up some containers to get over the wall. I nodded to Teddy thankfully and he sped off towards the wall carefully.

Leon looked at me and pointed at Rory. "This piece of sh..."

Before he could finish I felt the rifle around my back jerk my shoulder down and I looked down to see Crowley conscious and angry. He sprayed the rifle and it caught Rory in the stomach, shoulder and thigh. He fell to the ground with a pained grunt. I elbowed the man's face and he released the gun and grabbed his bleeding nose. I aimed the rifle at his face but Rory stopped me. He was grunting as he stepped towards Crowley and He kneeled over him and smashed the hilt of his knife into the man's face before delivering a savage stab to his heart and twisting the blade around angrily.

Rory fell to the ground and chuckled, spitting out blood at the same time. "We don't have much time... For the mushy shit." He said between breaths. "But I missed you brother... I gave that kid Ben your weapons. Shumpert had them in the caravan..." He looked up at me and smiled. "Could've been fun y'know... catching up... Now get out of here, before I have to watch _you_ die."

"I won't let you turn brother." I said to him as I rose to my feet.

I shot him through the head with the rifle emotionlessly and Crowley as well. Leon tapped my bare shoulder and we took off in a hurry. The climb up the containers wasn't so bad. When we hit the ground there was forest not ten metres away and we all sprinted for it with all we had.

**Later that Evening: 7.17pm**

I woke up at the bar. The feeling was strangely calm. _I don't like this_. I sat up in a rush and looked around. "Eric! Eric. Relax, lie down." I heard Lila say.

_Lila!_ Lila was alive, in front of me, at the bar. It was all so out of place and I needed to get up. "Lila!" I said sitting up with a smile. "What are we doing here?"

"We lost them... Well really your friend Teddy ran them off the road with the cargo truck. I don't think they died though. Everyone's packing your place up..." She said as she cradled my son."It was really cute, I wish we didn't have to leave."

"His name..." I grunted as I began to calm down. "Connor." I said with a deep breath.

"Why Connor?" She asked curiously.

"The local doctor in our town was Connor Oakfield. He stitched my mum and my brothers and I plenty a time when Silas came home in a tantrum." I explained to her slowly and softly as I looked at my son.

"That's a good name, strong and kind." She said reassuringly.

"Thank you. Do you know where we are heading?" I asked her in anticipation.

"We're going to be riding with one of the newcomers. He knows where we're going" She said with a smile.

"We got new people?" I asked with a smile.

"Two apparently. They're all new for me." She said with a shrug.

"Getting a bit overwhelmed?" I asked cheekily as I struggled into my faded black jeans.

She stood up, holding my boy and walked up to me. I put a hand on her waist and she kissed me longingly. I broke away and kissed my baby boys forehead. "I love you Connor." I said with a big smile.

She brushed my cheek with her hand lightly and I kissed it. She smiled at me sweetly. "We're about done!" I heard Ernesto call from the other side of the door. "Is he up?"

"Yeah, he's just getting ready!" She called back before giving me another desperate, lingering, deep kiss. "Please be more careful from now on." She said with bright, wide, scared eyes. "Leave Connor, I'll bring him, you just go wait in the truck." I told her strongly.

She seemed hesitant to leave but she eventually exited the flap and went striding down the walkway and I put on my quilted black winter shirt and the brown denim coat Rea had picked for me. I slipped into my white hi-tops and stretched my shoulders and neck. I saw my weapons and chuckled to myself. The image of Rory dying and my bullet entering his living forehead came to my mind and I gave a half-hearted smile. _It was an incredible gesture_. I had definitely underestimated my brother. I hadn't given him a chance and that would hang over me for a long time. I finished strapping my weapons back on and suddenly I felt complete as I put my dark blue beanie into place over my hair.

I carried my clothing bag in one hand and Connor in the other as I stepped out of the flap and walked down the wooden floor boards and onto the roof of the bar. I climbed down the hatch and made my way to the vehicles as fast as I could. They were already started and I threw the bag over into the cargo truck and handed Connor to Lila who was waiting with her arms outstretched. With my hands free I climbed nimbly up the back of the truck and stood up straight, clicking my back. Rea came and took Connor off of Lila and began playing with him on the ground. Lila hugged me as we took off and I sat down next to Rea and watched her with Connor. She looked back at me excitedly and I grinned.

I suddenly heard a deep, loud powerful voice. "GET DOWN!" He yelled. A gunshot was heard as Lila threw herself to the ground against the cargo truck and lay down and I saw the source of the voice was none other than Shane Walsh. He was firing his assault rifle out the back of the cargo truck alongside Ernesto, Andrea and another stranger. "Step on the gas Ted!" Shane yelled desperately.

The cargo truck began to pick up speed, the other vehicles were ahead of us, I had no idea who was where but I _did _know that this car chase meant bad news. I got up and glimpsed over the side of the truck to see two Range Rovers, filled with people chasing us down as the men inside clumsily shot at us. I didn't see Blake and was more than a little relieved. I pulled my pistol out of the holster and fired three loud shots at the closest Range Rover. The third shot punctured the front right tire and they started to wobble on the road as they slowed down. I ducked as the next few bullets came flying in my direction and breathed with relief as I found myself alive and unharmed.

"ERIC!" I heard Rea yell over the shots and Connor's relentless crying. I looked over at her and she was kneeling over Lila trying to put pressure on a wound in her chest. "Eric!" She screamed with tears in her eyes.

"Lila!?" I yelled as I crawled towards her and her eyes opened and she looked at me hopelessly. It crushed me inside and I smashed the ground with my fist.

"Andrea I'm gon' lay some down. You gun for the driver, buy us some time!" Shane said as he popped up from cover and began burst firing at the Range Rover behind me.

"Lila..." I said sadly as I reached her and her hand grasped mine weakly.

"Connor... Was a good name..." She whispered to me and I knelt over her as her hand went limp in mine and the light fled from her eyes.

"No! Lila! Hold on!" I said squeezing her hand. But there was no response, she had died.

Rea drew the knife from her belt and I stood as Andrea fired a shot from her rifle and the driver of the last attacking vehicle was killed. The Range Rover slowed to a halt as we powered forward and I saw the men scrambling to get out of the car. We must have gone almost a hundred and twenty metres by the time I jumped out of the back of the moving cargo truck and rolled to my feet.

I didn't _really _have a plan... It was spur of the moment to be honest. I pulled my pistol out once more as the four remaining men in the car recognised that I was coming towards them. One of them fired his SMG at me but a bullet took him in the shoulder before he could. I was striding towards them recklessly. As the rest of them raised their guns I raised mine faster with one hand and shot two of them, one in the chest and one in the ribs. The one I had hit in the chest was wearing a vest however and he got back up onto his knees as I got within twenty metres of the crew. The last came around from behind the Range Rover and aimed his gun at me.

"On your god damn knees you...!" He began to hiss at me in a shaky and desperate voice.

Before he could finish his sentence I raised my gun to his head and blasted his brains out of the back of his skull. The man on his knees went for his gun groggily and I booted him in the head. I put a round into his skull as he lay on the ground knocked out. The two men who were slowly bleeding out were moaning and I pulled out my combat knife after I holstered my gun. I stabbed the first man that Andrea had shot for me in the skull before I looked down at the last man. He was looking up at me... in _so _much pain... and I liked it. I pressed my boot over his gunshot wound and he began to scream wildly with pain. I slid the knife into his torso multiple times, in truth I began to get carried away as my right arm, and most of my torso was covered in blood by the time I was wiping my knife clean on one of the dead bodies.

It was Teddy who came to get me as I looked on at the pile of corpses. "C'mon man. We got to find some place." He said with a cough.

"Yeah...?" I asked distantly. "Where?" I said, turning on him angrily. "Somewhere that son of a bitch can't find us? I doubt it." I said, before striding back towards the cargo truck.

When I got there Andrea gave me a lift up into the truck and I hugged her quickly. "That's fine shooting girlie." I said with a small grin.

I looked down and noticed Lila's dead body once more. Rea was crying next to her holding her bloody knife and Lila had a fresh stab wound in her head. I looked at Rea with remorse, _I can't just stand here_. I got down on one knee and took the knife out of Rea's hand. I wiped it on Lila's pants and placed it in her sheath tenderly before sitting myself beside her and wrapping an arm around her back and stroking her hair as she cried into my jacket.

**That Night: 10.22pm.**

We had arrived at the truck stop at least an hour ago from what I could remember. Everyone was still a little on edge from everything that had happened. I had managed to learn that the new woman was named Tess. She was middle aged, around her late thirties at my guess, she was slightly plump with big, round eyes and a wide mouth with thin lips She had long, curled, dark red hair and blue eyes. Her face was slightly wrinkled but not excessively, she was pretty short. I had seen her carrying around a long wooden pole with a blade attached to the end. _I must get to know her later on, when I've had some time._ I thought once again paying homage of Lila... And Ro... in my mind.

The worst thing was the fact that she had been here all this time and I had no idea, I could have helped her but I just didn't know. And Lila? It had all happened _so _fucking fast that I hadn't had time to register what the fuck was going on until I climbed back into that truck. Tyreese had been doing his best to talk to everybody but it was all a bit of a mess.

The truck stop was one big building with an excessive amount of parking space outside around the gas area. There were a few stores inside the building. The register for the gas along with the usual junk you find in a gas station. Somewhere that looked to have been a café was wrecked and trashed, everything spread out of the ground and torn apart. Another building was a clothes store, this one had been looted somewhat but otherwise it was neat.

The last store held some sort of gift shop, all sorts of weird odds and ends in there that most of the women were all looking over. I chuckled to myself from where I was sitting in the corner with Connor. He had been asleep for a while, all the fear and crying had taken it out of him and he was sound asleep as I rocked him softly back and forward in my arms. He was so adorable. I still found myself second guessing my capabilities in this situation but there was no time for that... no _room_ for it. I had to do right by this kid. He was here now and it was my job to make sure he stayed. Make sure he has a chance at a life.

"He's beautiful." I heard from beside me, Donna had approached with Ben and Allen.

"Thank you. It was some coincidence finding him there... I can hardly believe it." I said to them, shaking my head.

Allen smiled at me and Ben chuckled. "This has been one hell of a few days for everyone man." Ben said sadly.

"Do you want to hold him?" I asked Donna.

She looked at me with a desperate glance. "Yes please." She begged. I handed him to her and she cooed at him as she took him

I looked at Allen and then at the ground. "I-I shouldn't have left... I got there... And it all looked like it was gonna work out... He seemed so _reasonable_... so genuine." I muttered as fear crept into my heart. "Then when I got out of that caravan... I saw him, the real him... behind the charming smile and the slick haircut." I said hatefully. "He was gonna kill me... Make me beat Whiskey to death, make me kill Lila..." I said, looking at the floor and stomping in frustration. "Looks like he got _something_ he wanted at least huh..." I said sadly, my voice shaking.

"You didn't kill that girl Eric, a stray bullet did. It could've caught any one of us." Allen said slowly and reassuringly. "You're not the bad guy here Eric, remember that."

"He was gonna do something else too. He wanted me to do _something_... A favour most likely... Like I was actually gonna be his _bitch_!" I said angrily, spitting on the ground as I said it.

"You've no idea what it was?" Ben asked me softly.

"None..." But I looked up at Whiskey and pointed to him. "But he might." I said, looking out the window next to me as they strode off.

It was then that I noticed Tyreese striding towards me with a chair and a bottle of water. "Have a drink." He said as he set up his seat.

I sipped the water gratefully and pulled out a cigarette. Donna came over as I handed Tyreese back his water and lit my smoke. "Why don't you hang on to him for a bit? Rea will take him if you got something you wanna do." I said to her with a smile.

"He can come and meet Aunty Sasha properly." Donna said with a smile.

"Total mind-fuck huh?" Tyreese asked me as we watched her take Connor over to Sasha who was flicking through things in the clothes shop.

"Yep." I muttered as I puffed away at my cigarette.

"I've had a talk with your friend Addison." Tyreese muttered. "Told me about how Blake played the both of you. Sounds like it wasn't so bad in the end." He said slowly.

I looked at him and scratched the back of my head. "Yeah..." I said carefully. "Besides Lila it wasn't all bad." I said, looking away emotionally.

"Shane... Shane is gonna lead us to where he last saw Rick and his group. I suggested we merge... If we take this psychopath together we could have a shot. Apparently Rick ain't in the best mind set right now... Shane is worried... He ain't in too much of a good mind set either to be honest... But I need to know... How is yours? Do I have my number two back...?" He asked me in a low voice.

"I can't just sit here and help run the day to day when that sick bastard is out there planning the best way to end us." I argued in a hushed voice

"And the only way we all stay alive is if we stick together. You want to fight Blake and we don't have the manpower... I want to find us the manpower and protect my group but you want to go off on your own. Can't you see it man? The only to protect everyone you love that is here... is by staying here, staying _with_ us, not running off on your own ninja bullshit." He said strongly.

I looked him in the eyes defiantly, even though I knew he was right, it was still hard to do it... "Okay Tyreese, you've got me man. Protect and serve." I said, raising my right hand with a sarcastic grin. "I'm with you."

Tyreese grabbed my shoulder and smiled. "Good to know." I looked back out the window and my heart filled with joy.

"What you smiling about?" Tyreese asked.

I pointed outside and he came to watch what I was staring at, the first few drops of snow were falling slowly and gracefully from the deep black sky, the sight was one of my favourites of all time, no matter where I was, I always made sure I saw the first few drops of snow. "Are we so sure that's a good thing?" Tyreese asked me with a snort. He stood up and yelled to everyone. "Snows a-coming people!" He said with a grin and they all chuckled.

That bit of news seemed to pick everyone's spirits up and I was smiling widely as they all chattered. There were eighteen of us now... including my son... and I was worried that this group wasn't close enough to brave the storm ahead of us. The road was going to be hell. It was going to be worse with a baby on board... They were all so brave to stay with me after all this, particularly Leon and Rea.

Tyreese looked over at me. "We can talk about business in the morning. Let's just relax tonight."

I smiled at Tyreese thankfully and he nodded slowly before sighing and pushing himself up, going to sit where Shane, Andrea and Whiskey were talking and Leon came wandering over from where he had been standing with Teddy and Ben. "Where's my nephew?" He asked with his arms spread wide.

"Donna and Sasha have him." I said, gesturing to the clothes shop.

He came and sat in Tyreese's seat and smiled as I passed him the cigarette. "The rescue..." He said as he inhaled a lung full of smoke. "...Teddy set that whole thing up. Him, Michonne and I." He said simply as he exhaled slowly.

"Whoever it was I'm in you're debt." I said.

"You wanna talk about Rory?" He asked me cautiously.

"No... Do you?" I asked him with an attitude.

"Nope." He said simply, looking away from me.

"I know you're upset, you think that you could have helped Ro if you knew she was here..." He began to say slowly.

"I know there's nothing I could do about _that_!" I said to him angrily and quietly. "I got that nurse killed today... _Lila_..." I said, hardly able to say the name without gagging. "She trusted me... to keep her safe from what she had been afraid of since this whole thing began... I failed her, I stood bye as she was gunned down by men who were trying to kill me. That I know I could have stopped."

"I heard what he said Eric." Leon muttered. "I know what he was gonna make you do. She was doomed either way..."

"Because she was with me..." I said. "I got her killed because I was feeling alone and empty. That's weak and pathetic and unfair." I said. I stood up and walked away from him then. Somehow talking about it with Leon had made the incident more real for me, Tears were rushing down my cheeks and I went and leaned against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

I slid onto the floor and put my face in my hands, half in despair and half in exhaustion.


	14. Who Are We?

**We have a big group of eighteen on the road, once again looking for a home. Just to give you a quick reminder of who is now in the group:**

**Eric., Leon., Rea., Tyreese., Sasha., Allen., Donna., Ben., Kylie., Ernesto, Teddy., Erin., Julian., Whiskey., Connor., Andrea., Michonne., Tess**

**We will slowly get to know our group over the next few chapters as they search through the Georgia countryside for a place to stay.**

**The next morning: 7.46am**

I was on a mattress not far from where I had been against the wall last night. _I must've fallen asleep and been moved here_. I thought as I raised my head and looked around, The sun that was peeking through the boarded up windows was bright and intrusive and I knew I wouldn't catch any more rest, I looked over to see that it was Rea who had set the mattress up and was fast asleep next to me. Connor was wrapped up fast asleep in her arms and under the blankets, he looked so adorable that as I stared at his face I didn't want to look away. _There is so much of Ro in that face_. I thought solemnly.

I sat up and the blanket slipped off of my bare chest. There were small, dried blood splatters on my arm and ribcage and I sighed frustratedly. It was cold this morning, I could feel a sting in the morning air as I looked around the truck stop. Mattresses were set up left right and centre. Erin and Teddy were sound asleep not far away and Leon was on one of the leather couches that was already in here against the wall. I got up and changed from my black jeans and slipped on my thermal-lined, camo, cargo pants and my pair of black work boots. I was drowsy this morning and it was making me clumsy, it was the first _real_sleep I had had for some time and my guess was that I needed more, I started making my way to the wash bucket.

A few people were waking up at the same time as me, it was still quiet, no one was awake enough to engage in any conversation. Everyone was most likely still scared of Woodbury. I had a feeling that we it though... there weren't many armed men around when I was in there, an we _had _killed and injured a few. Soon, he'd have no more armed men than us. So he had most likely fallen back and was going to sit back and prepare something sinister for us, it would be hard for him to keep tabs on us, but it was a good idea to stay alert for it none the less. I got to the wash bucket, the water had been used but it wasn't dirty yet so I grabbed one of the cloths and dunked it in the water that was freezing cold due to the new morning weather.

I shivered uncontrollably as I dabbed the cloth over my blood and dirt spots on my body. I needed a proper wash and it made me laugh at how much our priorities had changed in a few months. I couldn't have gone two days without a shower, and now I was trying to remember the last time I had washed my body. The blood came off somewhat easily, the dirt was harder, it had been there longer clearly and I started to get annoyed when they wouldn't come off. I squeezed the cloth out and put it back in its place next to the bucket and grabbed a towel off of the chair and dried my body down.

"How you feeling this morning?" I heard Andrea ask me from behind.

I chuckled. "Alive... and you?" I asked her plainly.

She smiled at me as I turned to look at her. "Bout the same." She said slowly. "This group needs to talk... _today_... about what we are going to do."

"Sounds like a conversation that should be had with Tyreese." I said carefully as I put the towel back. "I'm going to go and put a shirt on."  
She followed behind me as I walked and I chuckled to myself. "The group I was in before... with Shane... they were always fighting over who should be in charge." She muttered.

"Rick and Shane?" I asked her.

"Yeah..." She said in surprise. "How'd you know?"

"I witnessed a few of those arguments before the turn. Rick had _legal_ authority over him then though." I said with a chuckle. "Probably the only reason he listened... which wasn't very often." I muttered, looking over at the man across the room with his newly shaved head as he devoured his breakfast.

"I don't want to see this group torn apart from the inside." She said imploringly. "People want you to be leader, you want Tyreese to be leader, Shane wants to lead and Michonne says that I should." She said quickly and frustratedly.

"Maybe you wouldn't be so bad a choice. I don't know you all that well but it seems like you'd be dedicated to the job..." I said carefully.

Andrea smirked at me before looking around embarrassedly. "I would _never_ be able to make the hard choice... I wish I could but I'd hesitate, I'd have to think..." She said, looking at the floor sadly. "Now... I don't know you but it seems to _me_ that you're plenty familiar with making the hard choice."

"I dunno about hard, but it seems I'm pretty good at making the stupid one." I said with a chuckle as we reached my mattress and I pulled on my padded, red and black, plaid shirt with a black and dark blue hoodie over top. I looked over at her as I finished dressing, she was still waiting and I chuckled at her again. "Shane will _not _be leader. I _can't _be leader, and you _won't _be leader. That leaves Tyreese... The best man for the job in my books." I said to her with a nod.

"I have something else I wanna talk about." She said softly. "It's... sensitive." She said sadly.

"Can we discuss it over some cereal or something, because this guy right here is hungry as a motherfucker." I said jokingly pointing at myself. Andrea giggled as we wandered towards the tables where Shane was sitting with Kylie, Julian and Allen.

"Morning folks." Andrea waved to them happily as we sat down next to Julian on the other side of the table. Andrea began to politely fill my cereal bowl as well as her own as she spoke. "I'm worried about Michonne..." She said quietly. "We've been together a while now and she hasn't told me _anything_ about her past... She's been through some kind of trauma. She's used to being alone, hasn't been in a group for a long time… if ever." She added for dramatic effect

"So what do you want me to do?" I asked her.

"Talk to her, you've got just the right attitude for it. Be honest and outright with her and she'll like you, respect you… listen to you. She's really stubborn." Andrea warned me.

"If she doesn't want to be part of the group, the door is always open. If she has concerns she can address me or Tyreese." I said shrugging my shoulders. Andrea looked downcast and for some reason I felt guilty for shutting her down. "Yeah… I'll have a quiet word with her." I said, shaking my head as I dug into my cereal. "Shane…" I said, looking at him with a grin. "We haven't had a chance to catch up." I said.

"Well I'll be here when you're ready." He muttered as he took his bowl away and rose from the table abruptly.

"Something is up with _that _one too." Andrea said quietly as she twirled her spoon in the cereal. _She wants me to speak to him also... Great_.

"Seems to have an issue or two." Julian said with a smirk.

"Thanks… for seeing to my bruises and all… by the way." I told Dr Marsh gratefully.

"It's no trouble, you saved our lives, I figure I owe you more than a quick fix." He said, looking me in the eyes with a smile.

"You don't owe me anything Dr Marsh…" I muttered. "Only doing the humane thing."

"Well… far as I can tell not too many people can boast that they've been doing that these days so I owe you, whether you want it or not." He said with humorous sternness.

I smiled at him and continued with my breakfast. "Do you ever wonder what happened to your kin up in the capital?" I asked him curiously.

"Not really… I figure it's best not to make any assumptions, and thinking about it always leads in that direction so why bother. Like you said, we got a new family to embrace now." He said, clearing his throat.

"Amen." Allen said sadly from across the table. "Our family was always so close, brothers, sisters, cousins, aunties, in-laws… Everyone. We always stayed in contact, phone calls, holiday visits, vacations together… The American Dream right?" He said chuckling to himself. "Now all I have left is my wife and son, and you people who have supported us through this nightmare… And I couldn't imagine it any other way." He said, looking at the table.

"That's sweet Allen." Kylie said with a nervous smile. "I know how hesitant I was to come along with everyone. But I see that I was right to trust you Eric, this group of people we have here… We could have done a lot worse."

"I'm glad that no one has any regrets." I said morosely. "I know I do… I regret leaving everyone here, leaving you all behind… It was not my best move. But then on the other hand… If I hadn't… I wouldn't have Connor." I said slowly and emotionally.

"And we are all so glad that you've found him son." Julian said with a wide grin at me.

"Thank you… All of you, you are very kind." I said with a slight nod.

"I um…" Kylie said nervously, her eyes flicking towards and away from me. "I-I overheard your conversation with your brother…" She said carefully. "…Leon… y'know? Last night?"

"I remember it." I said darkly.

"The girl… Lila, she was like all of us… She chose her path when this all begun, she ended up in a situation she didn't like. She took her best chance to leave and it ended badly." She said as softly and tenderly as she could. "You did nothing to cause what happened. You gave her comfort; you made her feel good… and happy before she died. That much was obvious." Kylie said, her voice becoming more confident the more she spoke. "What I'm saying is you don't need to tear yourself up over it Eric… It's one of the hazards of the life we live today, there are a lot… I know… But we just have to get past them… like we did in the old world." She finished emotionally as her eyes teared up. "You're a good man Eric." She added kindly.

I stared her in the eyes. _She had made a lot of sense, the fact she hadn't said jack all to me until now meant a lot as well_. "Thank you Kylie, really… you are too kind." I said sadly.

Everyone was up and around within a few minutes after that and I finished my breakfast and found Rea slipping into her jacket as Connor was beginning to cry on the mattress. I discovered the problem and told Rea to bring me Connor's bag that Lila had packed before we left. Rea brought it back and I started to change my sons nappy. I had done it before, when I had lived with the preacher's family, one of his children was only a few months old and Leon and I had learned how to care for a baby quite well as the two 'upstanding members of the community' did their bake sales and galas and raffles. _Phoney fucks_. I thought with a touch of anger. I started to coo and pull my tongue out at Connor as I changed him and cleaned him up and he began to gurgle and giggle at me and everyone looked on.

They were all just happy to see such pure joy. That much was obvious. Connor seemed to be a conveyor of joy and I was happy to have him on my side. I finished changing him up and lifted him up victoriously in his clean nappy and he smiled at me as I raised him high. I hugged him close. He began to get restless in my arms and I laid him on the ground and started to use one of the baby toys to occupy him as everyone moved around and readied up around me. Everyone else was eating and I watched with a big smile.

"If only the walkers were so easy to distract…" I heard Teddy say in his Irish accent behind me.

"Or the soldiers…" I said thinking back to rescue. "Where'd you get the grenades?" I asked him.

"Your friends Andrea and Michonne found them in a National Guard Station on the way back." He said simply.

"Thank you Teddy… really... for saving my life." I said to him sincerely.

"You didn't need much saving brother… Leon told me about the man who died… he was your kin?" He asked me.

"Blood brother." I said simply.

"There was some history there I gather?" He asked curiously.

"I'm just like you Teddy, family and I never worked out as a good pairing."

"Amen to that brother… Whiskey… told me about the motorcycle club your dad was in. You two don't seem that close…" He said sadly

"Me and Whiskey?" I asked him and he nodded. I noticed Connor was growing angry and I gave him the toy and he squealed with joy. "We left on bad terms when I left home." I said with a pause. "And don't believe a single thing he says, they weren't some club, they were a motorcycle gang… drugs, guns, whores, extortion, robbery, murder… whatever you could think of. Bunch of fuckwits on bikes if you ask me." I said grudgingly.

"Fair few MC's in Ireland… Some of them dealt with us, guns and whatnot for the rebellion… I always understood the lifestyle… why can't you?" He asked me curiously. "You were raised in it…" He said sadly.

"I was raised at a bad time Teddy. In fact I would hardly say I was raised at all." I told him honestly.

"I suppose I can't compare." He said sadly, "I best get some grub."

He wandered off towards the table and I smirked. _Why is everyone trying to solve my problems?_

**Later that Day: 10.03am**

Tyreese had gathered us around after everyone had eaten and was ready to discuss what was happening. Tyreese had woken up last. His snoring had turned into a bit of a game for the rest of us as we waited those few hours. I had spent some time with Teddy and Erin after they finished breakfast. We had talked about allsorts, movies and books, life in Ireland compared to life in America. Where we had travelled to, things we had done for work. They were really genuine people, relaxed and funny, a really comforting and normal presence to have a group. They had only been married for two years. Erin even stepped so far as to say that she had a stillborn child with him. They weren't sure what the problem was but the doctor had told them they were perfectly able to have children. Erin said she had been too scared to try again.

I realised as we all sat around in this big congregation that I loved my group, they were all such relaxed genuine people that we all got along easily without any clashing or fights. I was worried about Tyreese and Shane however… They both wanted to lead, Shane should be smart enough to know that I wouldn't let that happen… or maybe he just underestimated me, it wouldn't be the first time.

Tyreese cleared his throat and all attention was instantly on him as he looked at us confidently. "So we had a shit couple of days… I won't lie… We lost a woman yesterday, she was new to the group, but she was cherished nonetheless, even in the short time we knew her she made an impact on all of us. In her loss we were delivered with the smallest, cutest bundle of joy that I have seen for months. As much as it is Eric's job to protect his son… As a family it is our duty, every single one of us, to help him protect and care for that child. We have new people and old and some people are even concerned about not knowing everyone's names." He said as the group chuckled softly. "We've been attacked; we've had to rescue one of our founding members from a town of brutal sons of bitches, we've been run from our home and forced to hide from these people." He said gravely, his voice tight and frustrated.

"If he was still after us, we would know it by now." I stated from my spot in the crowd. Everyone looked at me curiously. I stood up and looked back imploringly. "Think about it… We killed five men in one of those range rovers, two more of Blake's men died before my eyes at Woodbury."

"I killed five of them that tried defending those walls." Andrea remarked innocently.

I snapped my head to her smiled. "That's impressive shooting." I said with a grin.

"I know." She said with a smirk.

"One of the grenades blew up a man on watch on the wall." Allen muttered. "I saw it."

"So there are three holes in their walls?" I asked them curiously.

"No." Tyreese stated with a shake of the head. "Two big ones and one smaller one."

"They've lost too many men to come after us now, it would be too much of a fair fight for them. Plus they have to defend their town while the walls are rebuilt. That little rescue mission will set them back a fair way." I said with a wide smile. "Which… of course… I'm all for. But it just means he's going to be even more desperate to retaliate. He will look weak letting us get away with this." I told them all softly and apologetically as I leaned against the wall again.

Everyone was quiet after that and they all seemed deep in though. "So what do we do then Eric?" Sasha suddenly asked.

"I was hoping we could all come up with that together… Or Tyreese could decide" I said slowly. They all begun to talk at once and I couldn't even pick who to listen to

"I think there is something you should know." Whiskey suddenly said loudly and gruffly, everyone paused and looked at him nervously. "Sorry." He muttered with a chuckle. "Before you walked out of that caravan… I heard Blake and Crowley talking about you finding a helicopter... That _third_ thing he wanted you to do… I think he wanted you to find a helicopter that we saw in the air a week or so ago in Woodbury… He started talking about there possibly being some army still left in the area before you showed up with Shumpert." Whiskey said slowly, looking at me sternly.

"You think that's true?" I asked him.

"It was an army chopper." He stated plainly. "Blake had a few areas he wanted to search… you give me a good look at that map and I can mark them out for ya." He said to Tyreese politely.

Tyreese nodded and Shane looked at everyone. "I don't think ya'll get the danger we are in. We gotta find Rick and the others before it's too late and this maniac has us all strung up like pigs for slaughter."

"You don't think the army might be able to help us out with that?" Andrea asked.

"I think that we don't need to go chasing ghost stories that we heard from someone who came from the enemy side." Shane said rudely, refusing to look at Whiskey.

Whiskey stood up straight and it was clear that he was bigger than the former policeman. "Whiskey don't…" I warned him as Shane sat still and smirked.

"_Whiskey_…" He said patronisingly. "He's a grown man, who still uses an alcohol for a nickname over his real name… He worked with this maniac before you found him Eric… Why do you trust him?"

"Why don't you? Blake wanted me to beat Whiskey to death. Kill him… and you think that he's still working for _him_?" I asked him angrily.

"I just think we need to be a little more cautious is all." He said, finally looking at Whiskey, who had fire blazing through his eyes.

"And you need to stop being overly cautious." Tyreese said suddenly and everyone else quietened down awkwardly. "This ain't the time to be picking fights Walsh…" He muttered.

"Why not? When it regards the safety of this group I believe I get to speak my opinion. I was a police officer Tyreese… safety was my job…" He said loudly.

"Being an asshole was your job." I said quietly and tiredly. "Or at least that's how you treated it. Being a violent, hot-headed, asshole. Taking your rage out on suspects, prisoners and god knows who else. Then using that gruff charm you think you still have to talk your way out of it." I said calmly. "I _saw_ who you were back in King County, I'm just glad you're letting everyone else see too. It must feel very… _refreshing_ to know you don't have to hide the real you." I said with a smirk.

Shane rose to his feet angrily and looked at me. "You didn't know shit about me… You _don't_!" He yelled angrily. He pushed a chair out of his way and came strolling towards me with his fists clenched.

I bent my knees slightly and readied for his attack but as I was about to defend myself Whiskey had grabbed him and was holding him in a cripplingly tight, full-nelson hold. Shane wriggled and kicked out angrily but Whiskey lowered him and Shane was suddenly powerless in the bigger man's tattooed arms. When he spoke his voice was deep, strong and fierce and everyone around was too shocked to intervene. "That man has a child!" He grumbled angrily. "And if you want to _hurt_ its daddy, you gotta go through Great Uncle Addison... _or_ Great Uncle Whiskey… however you want to say it." He said before he threw Shane's body onto the lino and he thudded down hard.

Everyone stood awkwardly as Shane breathed heavily, trying to stand up. "This group…!" He began to yell.

"WILL SURVIVE!" Andrea yelled suddenly, her voice piercing the room. "With or without you! So if you wanna run away, try go find somewhere where they will let you lead then go! Fuck off… Do us _all_ the favour… Or shut up and let them do things the way they've been doing them!" She said to him, he stared at her blankly and went to sit against the wall far away from everyone.

No one was sure what to do… But we _did_ have more to discuss. "Rick's group…" Michonne suddenly said, breaking the silence. "…Could be anywhere. We went back, looked around, tried to follow a trail, but there was just too much, and we knew too little."

I sighed suddenly. "These army boys… they'll be smart if their still alive, holed up somewhere secure… it's gotta be a decent distance from Woodbury, they got a chopper, probably plenty of guns, some good army issue vehicles. If we find them first, we can warn them about the threat in Woodbury. Maybe convince them to let us find Rick with the chopper… then we got three sets of manpower, a stock of decent artillery for the battle and then _when_ we win... We have a mighty big, mighty close group, ready to find a home. To build a life for ourselves, start giving ourselves some normalcy…" I looked at my son with both determination and tiredness. "I dunno about ya'll but that's just what I could use."

"We hole up here a couple of days, we get our shit in order, we organise ourselves and our supplies." Tyreese said sternly after a swift pause. "If we gonna be out on the road… we need to be ready." He said ominously.


	15. With Friends Like These

**This chapter is about the group sharing their final moments in the truck stop before officially beginning their quest to find a permanent home as the snow settles in outside.**

**The next day: 11.48am**

Me and Whiskey had made sure that everyone was armed with a hand to hand weapon this morning. We had handed out both blunt and sharp instruments like they were charity and it had felt slightly weird compared to working at a soup kitchen or something like that. Everyone carried a knife, which was undisputable; it just made everyone feel more secure. Only a select few people carried guns... this did _not_ go down to well with some of the others. Sasha, Eric, Teddy, Leon, Andrea, Shane and I all carried guns, the rest would have to prove they were capable of handling them to suit our conditions. Whiskey picked out a police baton, Teddy grabbed a short handled sickle and Erin wanted a machete. Ernesto had a nail bar from his old tool belt as well as his knife. Everyone grabbed something. Shane kept his two handed fire axe and Tyreese wouldn't part with his hammer, Leon and I were happy with our weapons and the others were psyched with theirs too.

Andrea had been confused; she wanted a melee weapon but nothing too weighty. I had given her a bayonet to put on the end of her rifle and she had smiled, saying it was perfect. Somehow I had more sense than to offer Michonne anything, her sword seemed sweet enough. Tess was hesitant about grabbing _any_ weapons but she had settled for the knife and refused anything else we offered her. I tasked Ernesto with watching over her if the shit hit the fan out there. Rea kept her insanely handy knife with the spiked fist grip and the broad blade. Sasha had held on to the butcher's knife that we had given to her since before the bar the same as Ben with the cleaver. Allen's baseball bat had broken and he had grabbed a wrench from the tool box, it was the only tool that we had enough spares for a weapon.

After we were done Whiskey and I went into the gift shop where Erin and Rea were dressing Connor in ridiculously ugly and big clothes. And yet the sight made me smile. "Now you _know_ a son of mine has to have more swagger than that!" I said with a grin, swooping him out of Erin's arms. "I'll pick your wardrobe son." I whispered. "Then maybe you'll pick up chicks instead of getting confused for one." I said to him in a playful voice.

Rea laughed at me and Erin was smiling admiringly. "You're gonna be a good da..." She said distantly. "I don't have much experience with that sort of thing."

"What? Parents?" I asked her in confusion.

"No... just... good parents." She said sadly. "Especially me da... right _cunt_ he was." She said with a passion.

I blocked my baby's ears and gave Erin a sarcastic, shocked gasp. "I will wash your mouth out with soap the next time you poison my baby boy's ears like that."

"Please." Rea implored defensively. "The way you swear... I've got a power bar that says his first word is fuck."

"I will see your power bar and raise you my can of coke that says its first word is shit." Whiskey said to her and I chuckled along.

"My first word was sex." I admitted instantly. "I just wanted to get that out of the way... Before you tell anyone your story..." I said to the hulking, bearded man next to me.

"Well maybe one of these cold nights on the road we'll be having I can warm us up with a few laughs and blasts from Eric and Leon's pasts." Whiskey said to the girls to the side.

"I'd be surprised if you knew much about me Addison." Leon said sharply.

Leon's tone was angry, this bothered me, and I should have seen it coming, after all that went down between those two before we left home. Leon had little to no love for Whiskey, with _good _reasons. Whiskey seemed to be able to accept that as he gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Whatever you say Leon." He said tightly, walking away sharply.

I looked at Leon accusingly and he shrugged. "Bastard deserves worse than a harsh tone and you _know _it."

"No Leon... I don't... There is no history anymore, that all went out the window when this thing started. Right now we need as many people as we can get. Whiskey is more than willing to help out."

Leon looked at me with a flare in his eyes. "I'd like to talk to Eric alone." He said to the others. They nodded and left Connor wriggling in my arms before leaving. Leon thanked them as they passed him and I walked further into the store, cradling Connor before sitting myself on the bench next to the register. Leon came wandering over on heavy feet, he was angry, that much I could tell. "You have no right telling me history means nothing..."

"Why?" I asked him, before once again the bullet entering my brother's head entered my mind once more. "Because of Rory?"

"You hadn't let any of _that_ go and he's your blood." Leon said angrily.

"Different situation Leon, Rory worked with Blake... up until the end, _and_ I forgave him." I said slowly. "Whiskey deserves the same chance."

"What he deserves is a good knock in his bearded fucking face." He said emotionally.

"If a brawl will get it out of your system then go right ahead, I couldn't care less man." I said calmly as I stroked Connor's hair.

"Of course you couldn't, Whiskey was always your hero... your go to guy, even after what he did to my family..." Leon said, his fists clenching in a rage.

I looked at him sympathetically, he had never properly understood the situation, it was too long and too pointless to explain to him. And I certainly couldn't be bothered explaining it right now. "You fight him... He _will_ damage you." I told him simply. "And then you'll just be angrier."

Leon turned on his heel and strode away and I sighed as I lifted my baby up to my face. "Connor... I am going to teach you about patience before _anything_." I said in annoyance as I kissed his forehead.

"It's ah... lunchtime..." Kylie said from behind me, she had come in from the other set of doors. _How much did she hear?_ "...for the boy." She said awkwardly, holding up the bottle.

"Thanks." I said, sliding off the bench and taking the bottle from her, I brought it up to Connor's lips and it took him a while to register what it was before he latched on and started sucking. I looked up and Kylie was still standing there looking at me curiously. "Are you okay hon?" I asked her with a chuckle.

"I was just thinking... after seeing your son..." She began.

"His name is Connor." I said softly.

"That's such a beautiful name." She said as a tear came to her eye. "When I saw him... I thought about the baby that I... y'know... took care of... I know it's probably not a good thought, given the world we live in and everything... but I've never regretted it more."

"The man... your 'husband'." I said tenderly. "Was a coward, a scumbag... He didn't deserve a great wife like you and he certainly didn't deserve a child with you." I said strongly. "You made the right choice, for the time you were in, don't ever regret it. Some day... you might have that chance again... but under better circumstances."

"I'm really impressed." She said again. "By how you're dealing with all this. How strong your being... after Lila and all." She added sadly. I winced at the sound of her name and she put a hand over her mouth. "I'm such an idiot. I am really sorry."

"It's nothing, don't worry about it Kylie." I said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "C'mon, I think I'm hungrier than this little guy." I walked slowly as Connor sucked away at his bottle and Kylie ambled along at my pace patiently and comfortably.

Out in the lobby area Shane was sitting apart from the big group that was packing and chatting, he was sharpening his fold out knife. I told Kylie that I was going to talk to him and she asked if I wanted any food. I had admitted that I did and she said she would bring me a sandwich and I handed her my son, I thanked her immensely and wandered towards Shane.

"What you want man?" He asked quietly and grudgingly.

"Come on Shane, I hate having talks like this with people more than anyone else... trust me... particularly when the person is as stubborn as you are." I said softly with a smirk. "I said some things yesterday... that _maybe_... was taking things a bit overboard. I know that. But you have to understand that the attitude you're exerting is not exactly making anyone round here comfortable... So why don't me and you sit down with some lunch, maybe I'll crack open my premium bottle of whiskey... reserved for happy occasions... and we can hash this thing out. You can tell me what the problem is... And we can go back to everyone else and start thinking about things logically... _together_... as a group." I said softly and kindly. "_Or_ I can lay into you like you would never believe, send you out on your ass with a necklace of your teeth as a parting gift." I finished strongly.

Shane looked up at me defiantly and then he scoffed and looked away, putting down the knife and whetstone. "Pull up a chair tough guy." He said quietly.

I dragged over a chair and looked at him as he smiled at the ground. "So... did you get nits or something?" I asked with a grin pointing at his bald head.

"Less to grab onto." He muttered. "I liked all your weapons... It's very... excessive." He said with a chuckle.

"You know what they say... Overkill is underrated." I said with a chuckle.

"I ain't heard that one before." He said softly before looking at the ground for some time, seemingly deep in thought as I sat there patiently waiting for him to continue. "It's fear man." He whispered after a long pause.

"What is?"

"My problem..." He said embarrassedly. "I'm scared... of dying horribly, of turning into one of them freaks... scared of having to face this world alone." He admitted.

"We all are Shane... Every single one of us." I said sadly. "There is something deeper than this, something that's still driving you... I know it, I can see it Shane. We got the rest of the damn day to do nothing... Let's talk it out."

Shane looked at me in amusement and I smiled back at him. "It all started when this thing began man."

"Like I said... Time is plentiful." I said spreading my hands and putting my feet up on a pot plant next to the wall.

"I got Lori and Carl out of King County... We saw the napalm hit the streets man, brutal shit, we camped up at some quarry not far from the edge of the city. Others followed, showed up later on, had quite a set up going y'know, no casualties... it was all fine." He said, shaking his head reminiscently. "I didn't want to... It's not like I... Just to clear it up... we thought he was _dead_ before anything happened I swear to god... But me and Lori started getting together. I know you know Rick's alive... and he came back with our supply group one day a few weeks into it." He said exhaling frustratedly.

"Oh yea... I always wondered how the reunion was." I said thoughtfully, Shane and Lori had come as a little surprise, but it was quite easy to see both sides of the coin right off the bat.

"Yea his and Lori's was great. He had his wife and his son back. Rick was the boss back at work so that dynamic set back in nicely for him... I had been leading the camp before that and all of a sudden everyone looks to him like he's god." He said angrily. "We got run off the quarry, lost a majority of our group. Me and Rick fought over whether to go to the CDC or to Fort Benning. As a group we backed Rick to go to the CDC and from then on... he was boss man once again... And then the CDC was a dead end." He said shaking his head again frustratedly. "We were on the road and we lost someone, a little girl. Rick drove us ragged trying to look for her."

"Wow, you guys had a lot of obstacles huh?" I commented.

"Every one we navigated two more popped up in its place man... it was chaos. Carl got shot in a hunting accident and we took him to that farm where he laid up and got healed. Rick made us search for that girl for weeks while we stayed at that farm. People nearly died. Turns out the people who lived there had been keeping walkers in the barn. Thinking there was a cure coming... God damn nonsense... They were _just_ as delusional as Rick with his missing person's case. Rick was trying to do his little peace dance where he nicely asked the old man for permission to keep everyone safer." He said harshly. "I couldn't have that barn near where everyone was sleeping, I rounded a few people up and took care of them. The little girl came out... she was a walker and Rick shot her in the head. Then we found out Lori's pregnant. _Never_ had I wanted a DNA test so bad..." He said with a smirk. "She said she's got no clue who's it is and after _that_... We found Randall..." He said looking at me in amusement.

"Before you ask I'm just gonna tell you." I said, smirking back at him. "No, he didn't kill any cousin of mine. I did that for Rick, to get you off his back and to save his conscience a battle." I said softly.

"Yeah he told me... afterwards, we made up for a while. We'd had a fight, tried to kill each other... Back when Randall was still alive, arguing and all that." Shane muttered. "He could have left me to die..." He said distantly looking away out the window emotionally, there was a tear in his eye.

"I was just about ready to blow up at him... about Lori... about _everything_... Then a herd smashed through the farm and ran us off. We all met up on the highway... That was when Rick told me about you and Randall, and we made up." He said slowly, turning to look at the floor again. "It was still tense... but it was stable for a while. He was doing so good out on the road. One day I was talking to Lori about the baby with Hershel and he showed up and it all started brewing from there. We were fighting, arguing. He started treating me like shit and Daryl _fucking_ Dixon became his right hand man..." He said grudgingly.

"Did you know Merle is alive?" I said to him.

"What?" He asked in surprise.

"Merle... is alive, he's out here somewhere... looking for Daryl." I said softly.

"With one hand?" He asked with a smirk.

"He's rigged himself some blade contraption on his stump, looks pretty bad ass if I have to be honest." I said with a chuckle.

"That man is nothing but trouble." Shane said with a sudden realisation. "He'll kill Rick for handcuffing him in Atlanta." He muttered. "We gotta find them first Eric." Shane said to me plainly and determinedly.

"We gotta look out for our own first Shane. You wanna leave that's no problem but we aren't a divorced family Shane, you can't go from one to the other like this... You're in or you are out." I told him with the same purpose in my voice.

"Hey guys." Andrea said softly from behind us, we both turned and saw her standing awkwardly giving a us a small wave. Shane glared at her angrily and she grimaced in embarrassment. "Yeah... ah... I'm sorry about the tantrum." She said sadly.

"Yea alright." He said simply returning to sharpening his knife.

"It was just, all the arguments... at the old camp... it was just unnecessary." She said softly.

"Yeah I'm seeing that now..." He said frustratedly.

"I'm glad you are okay Shane." She said with a tight smile. "I really am."

"Thank you." He muttered.

I looked at them curiously, there was some weird tension here and it was my guess that they had fucked. I couldn't be sure but the whole think felt strangely like a break up explanation to me. _Maybe I'm just seeing things_. I thought as I stood. "Well Kylie is taking a while with my sandwich... I might go speed her up." I said awkwardly. I shuffled away and heard Andrea scuttling behind me.

"You ah... talked to Michonne yet?" Andrea asked me nervously.

"You know I haven't." I muttered as I walked towards the cooking area.

"I told her... you were going to... she didn't even seem to mind."

I turned on her. "That's because it's not that big a deal." I said before turning back around. She chuckled and I heard her walk away. I got to the cooking area and saw Kylie sitting down with Connor in her lap as she shovelled down some bacon and eggs. I smiled at the sight, Kylie wanted to be my son's carer, I knew the job would have to go to _someone_. _Everyone depends on me too much now, I can't spend all my time with Connor_. I had kind of hoped that Rea would take on the responsibility, it would keep the two of them out of danger with one single swipe. Me and Leon hadn't even had a chance to talk about him. Instead Leon had gone off at me about Whiskey and Rory. As long as I had known him and as much as I knew about his past and his personality it hadn't been until the world had gotten fucked over that some of the things he did started to confuse me. Nothing worried me more than this, particularly after my little chat with Officer Shane Walsh. The change that he had undergone on his journey was catastrophic. I just didn't want Leon going down the same path as Shane; he hadn't had the chance to grow accustomed to violence in the old world like I had...

I sat opposite Kylie and she smiled to me as she pushed the other plate of bacon and eggs toward me. "Did you make this?" I asked.

"Michonne did." She commented awkwardly. "I was never too good in the kitchen." She said, looking away.

"I could give you a few tips if you like?" I said softly and quietly.

"That'd be nice." She said, looking at me with a wide smile.

I began to dig into my breakfast before I realised this was the first time I had bacon since we had left King County. The taste was exquisite, It was like going out to a steakhouse before the turn. It was a luxury now and that was sad. Bacon was something I had been able to enjoy nearly every morning. The eggs were done scrambled and they were a little dry but I shoved them down regardless. It was better than what we had been used to lately.

**That night: 7.42pm**

"So if that's everything..." Tyreese said slowly prompting the rest of the group to raise any other concerns about being on the road. We had been at it for a few hours, discussing anything and everything.

"It ain't." I said softly.

Everyone looked at me curiously. I could see in a few of their eyes that they knew what I was going to discuss. "What's on your mind?" Leon asked me.

"Connor."

Everyone sighed and I heard Shane chuckling. "Here we go." He muttered.

"I know he's a risk..." I said carefully. "The crying, the _burden_, the time spent looking after him."

"Just stop Eric." Donna said.

"Yeah... this isn't even a discussion." Sasha said sternly.

"You don't know what I was going to say..." I commented.

"We _all_ do." Sasha confirmed instantly.

"It would be easier, for all of you. You know it's true." I muttered.

"If you're asking us if we want to abandon you and a baby boy on the side of the road then you just shut your mouth." Tyreese said warningly.

I looked away with a smile on my face as everyone nervously chuckled, each person no doubt contemplating what life would be like out there with Connor around. Rea was next to me with Connor and Ben, they were both playing with my baby. Everyone seemed to want to be a part of the boys life, well all the people that I had been with for a while anyway. Teddy and Erin were already friends but on the whole the rest of the newcomers felt like strangers to me. Kylie was going to be a close friend I could tell. She had an immature spirit for an adult woman.

"Well then..." Tyreese carried on as silence settled in. "That _must_ be everything. We got a hell of a journey starting tomorrow. So for now, do whatever the hell you like." He said with a chuckle. "Because tomorrow your all gonna have orders to follow right up until we are holed up for the night and the sun goes down."

Everyone smiled at each other before dispersing. "Can I play with Connor in the gift shop?" Rea asked from beside me.

"You don't have to ask hon." I said with a grin. She sped off with the boy cradled safely in her tiny arms and Ben stood up with me.

"He's already a cool little guy, hardly a peep since we've been here. He's just tired and smiley so far." Ben said happily.

"You wait until he's cold, tired and got a full nappy and we are surrounded by nothing but trees and darkness." I muttered quietly.

"An inspiring thought..." He said curiously. "But if anyone could get us out of it, it's you..." He said with a grin.

"I'm not Superman, Ben. I'm not Jesus. I'm just Eric... okay?" I said to him. He stopped in his tracks and looked pissed off as I turned around.

"Okay." He said awkwardly with a slight angry inflection.

"Look I'm sorry Ben. I just... I can't have _everyone_ relying on me... Please." I said softly.

He nodded to me and trudged off towards where Teddy and Erin were chatting with Ernesto. I watched him go, the boy was a strange one. He never really seemed to speak his mind much. He was a follower and now he didn't have anyone to follow. I could imagine him at his school, hanging out with the more popular, confident kid, hanging on his every word and laughing at his every joke. Ben didn't know who he wanted to be before all this, and it was still eating at him, that was dangerous in this world, you couldn't focus on ideals and personality flaws for too long or you drive yourself out of your mind.

I wanted to see Michonne now, she was relatively easy to find. She was doing some strange exercises and stretches in a corner away from everyone. I approached her slowly, she didn't look in my direction once and stayed focused on her exercises, keeping her head forward and concentrated. The face she had reminded me of my mother... the small amount of times when I had actually seen her when I was young. She was always either stressed about the little things or depressed about the big things and my mother had dealt with both in the same way, keeping busy with exercise or work or cooking or cleaning or just about anything that required focus, that was when she _wasn't _completely cracked out of her mind... _fucking bitch. _The stone unmoving features that displayed a constant determination and drive to finish what you are doing so you can be useful in other ways as you avoid the real problem. Michonne's determination was clear and perhaps even excessive, she was throwing her body into her exercises, she looked fit enough... but if she wasn't she would be aching something awful come morning.

When I reached her I sat heavily on the floor next to her as she moved to press-ups and I smiled. "Fourty before bed, Fourty when I woke up. Sit ups too... Now with all the running and the fighting I hardly need to exercise..." I said softly.

"Makes the night move faster." She said simply.

"That it does, it also occupies your thoughts... you know, distracts the mind... How often you do this routine you got going on here?" I asked her cautiously. She looked at me defiantly and I put up my hands innocently. "I could've just gone and asked Andrea..." I muttered.

"Most days, maybe two three times a day." She admitted frustratedly.

"I dunno why you're angry hon."

"I'm no hon..." She said warningly.

"Fair enough, that still raises the question, why are you angry at me? I came over here hoping to have made another friend..." I said slowly.

"I know what you're doing." She said carefully. "If I wanted to talk about my past... I would have by now. If my past was going to effect my present... it would have by now. If you had anything to be concerned about... I wouldn't be here." She said, looking at me, her words were soft but her face was hard. I wasn't sure what the sentence meant exactly but I knew it was an end to the discussion. _A woman of few words_. At least she was for now anyway.

I stood up and chuckled. "Well anytime you want to talk, me and Andrea are your friendly neighbourhood therapists."

She looked at me curiously as I turned to leave, pausing in her workout. I was still chuckling as I walked away. I wandered back towards the centre of the lobby room, everyone had settled down now. The best thing I had noticed about our stay here was that everyone had been given the chance to get to know each other. It looked slightly like a small café, there were groups of people talking at tables and chairs, sitting on couches. Every time I looked someone was hanging out with someone else, they were all mixing and mingling, the whole thing was slightly amusing, people forced to get to know one another and not really having a choice but to like each other. That part didn't seem to be much of a problem but for a few exceptions. Michonne stayed away from everyone and Shane was careful about who he talked to, a lot of folks felt shunned by him from what I could tell so far.

I had spent most of my time today with Ernesto and Whiskey outside doing some touch ups and repairs to the vehicles and making sure they all had enough gas. We had figured out the driving groups when we had been discussing everything earlier. Teddy, Erin, Sasha, Andrea, Michonne and Shane were in the cargo truck, Teddy was driving. I was driving my Jeep with Rea, Kylie, Connor, Julian and Whiskey in the passenger seats. The Kombi was the most packed, half of the bulk of the supplies was in there, the other half was in the back of the cargo truck under a tarp. Tyreese drove the Kombi and Leon, Allen, Ben, Donna, Ernesto and Tess rounded off the passengers inside, the space in the Kombi would be cramped but until we could find another vehicle they would have to make do.

I sat down heavily on one of the leather couches not too far from where Leon, Andrea and Dr Marsh were talking. Leon toddled over after a short pause and plopped himself down beside me exhaustedly. "I ain't gonna apologise." He said softly.

"But there wasn't a fight today." I said quietly without looking at him.

"Apparently so." He muttered.

"Will there be tomorrow?" I asked looking over at where Whiskey and Kylie were walking out of the gift shop together laughing.

Leon looked at them too and looked away shaking his head. "Nope."

"So I was right?"

"_I _was wrong." He corrected and we smiled at each other before he hugged me. "I am sorry brother, and yes you were right." He said suddenly.

"Man we suck at fighting." I said as we released each other.

"You talk to the new woman yet? Tess?" He asked me.

"The only person I didn't manage to catch up with it would seem." I said, chuckling softly.

"Well maybe we should." Leon said carefully. "She shows up alone after you've been at Woodbury a day or two... little bit fishy. The bar was secluded and she just _happened_ along?"

"How'd you find Shane?" I suddenly wondered, I hadn't heard that story yet.

"He was running through the streets of that town we found on the map before you left with his axe, killing anything that got too close, covered in blood, angry as a volcano. I needed to keep my mind off of you being gone for so long and Tyreese not doing shit about it so I went on the run there with Teddy and Michonne. That was when we planned how to bust you out. Michonne helped out _a lot _actually..." He said distantly, thinking back.

"Let's go address Tess." I said with a grin as I stood up.

"You are so lame bro." He said softly as he followed behind me.


	16. A Chance Encounter

**Hey folks, just wanted to say that I know some of my chapters do not take the story anyway, I find this to make the story more suspenseful and suprising when a major event does take place. A lot will change in the storyline from here on in, but I will try to keep my own telling of the canon major events, such as finding the prison, the prisoners inside, the incidents with the Governor etc. But before then there are a couple more characters and a couple more disasters to right about. Winter is well on it's way and summer... and the prison :)... are on the horizon.**

**This chapter sees the group on the roads. Surviving and scavenging. The group deals with a safety problem.**

**Two days later: 9.48am**

I had been driving for almost three hours. Last night was a bad night, almost as bad as the night before. It had been a while since we had found somewhere safe enough to stay overnight that was actually indoors, in fact, since the truck stop we hadn't found anywhere. And with the snow coming down at full pace now it was beginning to become more than a little uncomfortable to sleep outdoors, hell I felt bad enough for the folks that had to ride along in the cargo truck, with both the temperature of the wind, the temperature of the snow _and_ the temperature of the winter air to deal with.

Not a lot of talking happened while we were driving. I had always found myself unable to speak to people inside a car, it was something that had been a thing for me since I could talk. The whole situation just felt uncomfortable and pointless to me. Rea was a right chatterbox in the car though, going on about subjects she was taking, and boys that she thought liked her. None of which was particularly interesting but if anyone was completely open about themselves to the group... it was her.

I found myself again wondering how Leon was coping in the Kombi. We had become closer than ever in the last two days, our fights were usually as short as this but we had never come through one closer than we had now. Leon was caring for Connor like a real uncle and he had even shown that he was on good terms with Whiskey. _He_ was a unit on his own, his dedication and headstrong approach to protecting the group had been impressive, if not suicidal. Too many times Whiskey had taken his police baton into a pack of walker's when we were clearing cars off the road and every time he had come out no worse for wear.

Teddy was perhaps one of our most useful assets so far. His army training that he had gone through at a young age to fight with his father in the rebellion was making itself known. Teddy was fast, silent and sure-footed, more often than not he would creep off into the darkness alone and come back with two backpacks full of useful supplies. His combat skills were better than superior, his accuracy with a gun, and his well timed strikes while fighting hand to hand made him one of our best at putting down groups of walkers.

"How are we for gas?" Julian asked me from the passenger seat.

I looked at the needle, it was still at a quarter tank which mean it would drop soon. "We got a while until it's time to be worried. There are a couple cans left in the Kombi anyway, _and_ a few in the truck if I'm not mistaken." I mentioned.

"You aren't." Whiskey confirmed. "I checked when we stopped last."

"We _will_ find something Julian... There was a whole world before this... remember?" I asked him with a cheeky grin to the side.

"Yea I seem to recall something about that. Hows Connor doing back there?" He asked Kylie.

She tutted. "Well he was sleeping." I laughed to myself. "Good morning handsome boy, yes, hello." She said in her baby voice.

He started to cry and Whiskey and I tried to stifle our laughter but we couldn't help it and she began to berate us as he started to cry louder. "Give him here." Rea said angrily as she snatched the baby away from Kylie.

"Sorry, it was just... funny." Whiskey said to Kylie as everyone quietened down.

I noticed Connor had stopped crying. "Hey, how'd you do that?" I asked Rea.

"He just stopped, I dunno..." She said in surprise. "He does it for you too, you should know."

"Never that quickly hon." I said with a grin in the rear view mirror.

"Well he must love me more." Rea said softly.

_Or it could be because you look like Ro._ I thought suddenly. But then how would Connor know what she looked like if she died in childbirth. It seemed improbable but not impossible. I was no doctor or psychologist, and I wasn't one to be able to speak about the possibility of natural parental love and recognition because I had little to none of either for them at any time I could actually _remember_ in my life. "I don't blame him." I finally replied.

"Why are we stopping?" Rea asked as I put my foot on the break lightly as we came to another pile-up on the road. There were at least six cars that would had to be moved, the kombi couldn't make it around as the bank on the side of the road was too close and too steep.

"Another pile-up." I said tiredly. "At least I can get a stretch in finally." I muttered as I unclipped the seatbelt and opened the door gingerly. My body was actually aching from sitting in that same position for hours and my body clicked even as I got out of the door.

"I'm gonna take Connor to play with those toys in the Kombi." Rea said as she got out cradling my beautiful boy in her arms.

"Keep him safe. Keep Ben or Donna with you." I told her sternly.

Whiskey and Kylie got out together. "Aren't you gonna look after the boy?" Whiskey asked gruffly.

"No. I'll help you." She said firmly as she loosened up her shoulders.

I twisted my back around, stretched my legs in and out as everyone from the other vehicles came spilling out towards us. I heard Julian get out behind me and stretch himself as well. Teddy and Shane arrived side by side with the girls in tow, minus Erin who was filling up the cargo truck's gas tank.

"She may as well do ours... Now we're stopped." Julian said to me softly.

"Yeah go ask her would you?" I asked him carefully.

"Sure thing." He said.

"How's the driving treating you?" Tyreese asked me as he approached, watching me stretch and groan as my body continued to click.

"Yeah... No not so good."

"I'll drive after this if you want. Give you time to hold your boy at least." Whiskey grumbled beside me.

"Thanks man." I sad gratefully.

"Hows the Kombi?" I asked the new arrivals.

"Yeah as great as it is getting to know all you guys I think I'm gonna need some space to be honest." Ernesto said cheekily with a laugh. "I'm gonna see which of these cars is least damaged and fix it up. Give everyone a bit more space."

"Well we got an opportunity here." Leon said carefully. "We got plenty of people. Shit... Whiskey, Tyreese and Shane could probably move a car each by themselves." He said looking at the three men with amusement. "Donna, Rea and Connor are in the Kombi. That leaves thirteen of us. We get two people to siphon gas, I'll help Ernesto with the car, Erin can fill up our vehicles, Teddy, Sasha and Eric should be on watch and the rest can scavenge the cars." He said suggestively and everyone smiled.

"Alright, good plan Leon, everyone stick to your job and lets get this done quick as we can." Tyreese said sternly as he set off towards the pile-up.

I was particularly glad with my job, Right now called for a cigarette. I hadn't had one since last night. I stepped towards the Kombi carefully. I chose to watch the sides, Sasha watched the rear and Teddy kept an eye out a little ways ahead of the vehicles. I pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, noticing the gas for my lighter was getting low, I had no spare and it was not a particularly important accessory but I would miss it unless I found another. I paced up the right side of the vehicles, puffing away as my eyes scanned the trees to our sides and my ears perked up for any raspy groans.

As I made my way down the left side I noticed smoke coming from the tops of the trees a fair distance away. It wasn't an alarming amount but the way it billowed out and then got caught by the wind told me it was a chimney, which meant there was a reasonably tall building nearby with a fire going, which more than likely meant there were people around. My heart began to beat faster and I turned to see Sasha pacing back and forth not far away.

"Did you grab Leon's rifle?" I asked her as I jogged up to her.

She turned towards me and noticed the smoke. "What the f...?"  
"Exactly." I said swiftly.

She handed me the rifle and I set off at a fast walk towards the Kombi. I reached it and she put her hand together and braced her knees. I smiled at her appreciatively and stepped into her hands, she gave me a boost up onto the roof of the Kombi and when I hauled myself up awkwardly I lifted her up and we stood up and turned to the left. I picked Leon's rifle up and took a closer look at the smoke. I could see the top of the chimney, it was made of brick, which suggested that perhaps it was a cabin, but I had never known a cabin to be so tall.

"Take a look." I told Sasha, handing her the rifle.

"What the hell is going on up there?" I heard Rea say from the door below us.

"Just keep an eye on Connor hon. Stay put." I said sternly

"Cabin?" She asked, looking at me suggestively. "Or a warehouse?"

"Warehouse is more likely, interesting to think what would be inside." I pointed out.

"Might not be fun to find out _who_ is inside though." Sasha said nervously.

I chuckled. "I'll handle that part, we aren't looking for any trouble." I confirmed. "_But_... if it is someone from Woodbury, we need to be concerned... If it's Rick... Well he knows me, I won't make him nervous." I said softly.

"What? You're not talking about going over there?" She asked me sternly.

"Yeah... Alone too." I said to her with a smirk to the side.

"Are you kidding me?" She asked angrily. I shook my head and vaulted down to the ground off the roof, landing softly.

"Where are you going?" Rea asked me as she came running around the side of the Kombi frantically.

"There is a possible threat over there." I said. "I am going to identify it." I told her as I tugged on my gloves.

"You have a child Eric, this isn't some game for you anymore." Sasha told me as she leapt down next to Rea.

Kylie came out behind them and looked at me judgementally. "If these men come over her, my son is in danger. I go deal with it now, they never have to know he exists. All of you stay put I will be back before they're done." I told them with a serious tone.

I pulled the bow off of my back and held it in my left hand as I took off into the cold deep snow. My scarf was wrapped tightly around my neck and I pulled it up over my nose. I pulled the hood of my navy blue jacket over my head and zipped it up as well as doing up the buttons and toggles. I could hardly seem to catch a glimpse of my black boots as they sank into the snow that had mounded over the forest floor. As I made my way through the trees and the vines and the snow covered logs that littered the ground I knew I was getting closer to the warehouse, there was even a cleared dirt road just to my left that looped around a cluster of trees up ahead. I was still a fair distance away, it was all still small in my vision. I heard a few groans and did one myself as I turned to my right to see three walkers nearby, and to my shock and surprise there were far more than three behind them. They were a ways away but there were at least somewhere around sixty approaching the cluster of trees from the opposite side.

I nocked an arrow to the string as swiftly as the cold and my gloved fingers would allow me. I pulled it back sharply and aimed with one eye closed as the three walkers got closer, I released the string and the arrow pierced into the first one's neck, he stumbled backwards as I shot him and fell to his knees and the other two closed in. I pulled out another arrow and kicked the next walker in the chest, sending him tumbling down in the snow. I slapped the top of my bow into the last walker's temple and he stumbled to the side I shoved the arrow in and out of the side of his head four times until he died. The last walker suddenly grabbed me from behind and my heart almost burst out of my mouth, he tried biting my shoulder but got his teeth caught on my holster strap.

My arms, as if on their own, frantically whipped around and caught around his throat. I threw him to the ground in a panic and quickly strung the arrow and shot it through his head on the ground at point blank range. The last walker was getting up clumsily from where I had kicked him and ran towards where he was struggling on his knees and jumped, my boot cracking damagingly into his head. He groaned and moaned on the ground as his head swayed around groggily and dizzily. I clipped the bow back into it's holster and removed the knife from it's sheath with my left hand. I put my foot on his chest and just before I brought the knife down on his skull I heard a gunshot fire through the air. It was loud and sharp and I heard the familiar sound of distant, muffled screams of panic and fear. The walker got a hold of my boot in his teeth and I kicked him in the head again before sliding the knife through the side of his head.

I looked towards the cluster of trees and suddenly heard the sound of a motorbike starting up, I had heard it so many times in my life that I knew straight away when I heard the motor. There were walkers circling the entire place now. I started off towards the place in a rush. When I was at that farm Rick was at I had seen a motorbike there, it would be a hell of a coincidence for it to be someone else. I heard the screams from people getting louder and I saw the motorbike take off on the cleared dirt and snow road ahead driving away from me. A dark orange old style Range Rover followed closely behind. I tried my best to get there but I suddenly noticed an old blue Ute following the other two vehicles. I had almost gotten to the cluster of trees when another car drove away a small silver Cherokee brought up the rear of the group and not a single one of them had noticed me, I began to realise how close I was to all the walkers and turned around, now this place was empty maybe we could come here and clear it out, see what they left behind, maybe they might try coming back for their things.

As I jogged my way out of the walker's reach I looked to my left and saw someone running, they were all wrapped up in winter clothes with a beanie over their head but they were small and skinny, I was worried for them. There were walker's way too close to them and I started off in their direction. When I got closer I saw the person sidestep a walker before getting their feet caught in a root. I saw the crack as they fell to the ground and hit their head on a rock savagely and lapsed instantly into unconsciousness.

I picked up the pace and took my bow out. I didn't second guess myself this time and strung and released the arrow all in one fluid movement as I ran, the arrow collided with the back of its skull and there were two more closing on the person as I reached them and even more surrounding us. I ducked past the first one and grabbed the second walker's collar and dragged it away from the unconscious person. I turned on the second and slid out my tomahawk. I smashed it's face in twice before pushing it's body clear of the person. I put the tomahawk away and drew my pistol and silencer, trying my best not to fumble with it as I screwed it on.

The walkers were closing right in as I pulled a round into the chamber and let off a shot point blank into the first ones face. There were two in front of me and three behind. I turned around and kicked the closest one, trying to clear myself some space. One of the walker's in front grabbed me and the next one from behind reached out to me too. I spun around and hit the walker behind me with the one that had latched to my coat and struggled to find some skin to devour. I shot another two before shaking the walker off of me and stomping his head in violently.

I turned around as I heard hurried steps and a growl and saw Whiskey's long hair flapping through the air as he leapt at the pack of walker's with everything he had. His shoulder barge sent two of them flying to the ground and he began lashing out with both baton and knife in hand. I threw myself backwards in a frantic jump and held my pistol in two hands as I began to help the bearded warrior to clear the group of geeks. Whiskey was turning back and forth in a focused battle frenzy his weapons snaking out powerfully and savagely at the walker's surrounding him. I turned to my right and noticed another group of about eight walkers approaching our position.

I fired the rest of my clip into the group, leaving five remaining walker's approaching the unconscious body in front of them. As I holstered my gun and slipped the silencer into my jacket zip-pocket I noticed Leon rush past me with his machete in hand. He began to hack away at the walkers, He cleanly removed two of their heads before one of the bodies collided with his leg and he was trapped under it on the ground. One of them leaned down to try and bit his face and stabbed it through the brain, blood came pouring out down the machete and all over his arm and face. I nocked an arrow and rescued Leon from another close bite before he crawled out from under the body, narrowly escaping the last walker. I was already mid run and took it down with a heavy tackle around its chest. I grabbed my knife again and smashed it down into the walker's eye, and watched the life drain out of its other eye.

"Holy motherfucker!" Leon said as he wiped the blood away from his eyes. I tossed him my wet rag from my back pocket and he wiped away what blood he could from his face and neck. Whiskey came walking over, panting lightly, about ten or fifteen feet away there were about seventeen or so dead bodies piled around in a circle and he was littered with blood like a splatter-painting project.

"That's all for this lot, but we better move before more join the party." Whiskey said determinedly.

"Who's this?" Leon asked, indicating to the unconscious person laying on the ground.

I sighed as I thought back to everything that had just happened. "I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure they're from Rick's group." I said as I got down on one knee and hauled the person over my shoulder, they were light and like me they had a scarf over their face to protect from the cold.

"I'll lead the way back, everyone got shit scared after that gunshot. Kylie told me what you were up to." Whiskey said, looking at me disapprovingly.

"Did I miss something?" I asked. "Did I die?"

"No, because we saved you _stupid_ ass." Whiskey retorted angrily.

"I don't need saving."

"You've needed saving from me since you were in diapers." He muttered to himself as he walked ahead.

I cursed at him under my breath and readjusted the survivor on my picked our way down a snow, covered steep hill, using tree trunks to keep ourselves from skidding down. Leon supported me as I carried the person down and we trudged side by side a fair ways behind Whiskey as we got closer and close to the road. "Hey sorry if what I did fucked up that little plan you had going." I told him sincerely.

"Yea no worries brother, your back, that's all that matters."

"Thanks Leon." I told him, looking at him appreciatively.

"Did you see the warehouse? Or whatever it was?" He asked me suddenly. "And was that gunshot you?"

"You'll hear when we get back I suppose." I said tiredly, I was in _no _mood to explain myself but I was bringing a stranger back, of course there would be questions.

We got back onto the road and the game of a million questions at once began. Tyreese quietened them all down and looked at me as I kept walking and carried the girl to the Kombi.

Rea and Connor were inside playing n the bed and I told her to take him off of there. She looked up at the figure on my shoulder and hopped to follow my orders as she heaved my boy off of the bed with her.

I laid the person down on the small single bed in the back and told Rea to fetch Dr Marsh. She left Connor on the bed next to the unconscious stranger and I kissed his forehead swiftly and felt the warmth of his face as I quickly greeted him with a hug. I put him in the cushioned chair next to the bed and wrapped him in his blanket as he gurgled and moaned. I went back to my patient and unzipped the heavy, padded, puffa jacket over there body. I saw the stranger was a woman as I saw the bumps underneath the thick hoodie she had on underneath and I wriggled both of them off of her. Dr Marsh and Rea were taking a while and I was worried that the girl might be concussed. She had a woollen sweatshirt over another three layers of t-shirts and tank tops. I left the last singlet on her and pulled off the beanie and scarf. Her hair was long, wavy and bright blonde, and her eyes were a light and startling blue. I had never been much of a lover of blondes but this girl was strikingly beautiful.

She had two pairs of pants on and I pulled the pair of track pants off of her revealing tight black denim jeans. I put a furry warm, blanket over her and a duvet over top of it as I turned her head to face me. I got a tissue from the bathroom and wet it with some snow that been caught on my jacket. I pressed the ice cold, wet tissue onto the cut on her forehead and began wiping the blood off. The cold air had already slowed down the flow of blood out of it. I realised the cut wasn't serious. It wouldn't need stitches. She needed time to wake up and get over the headache and she'd be no worse for wear.

I heard Dr Marsh and Rea come in through the door and he was carrying a bag. "Sorry, I had to get my bag of things." He said in a rush as he came alongside me.

"I shouldn't have sent for you sorry its nothing serious just a little cut, the bleedings practically stopped, she'll have a sore lump for a couple days." I told him calmingly as he kneeled down alongside her.

"I'll give her a look over for safety anyhow." He muttered as he went through his things.

I sat down on the chair, putting my son in my arms and bobbing him around lovingly as he began to make noise. I heard the door open and Tyreese came inside slowly and carefully. He came and leaned against the wall opposite my chair and looked up at me with his head to the ground. "You ready to talk about it?" He asked me softly.

"Yeah of course man." I said sincerely. "I was still pumped with adrenaline before."

"What happened out there?"

"I was getting closer to whatever the building was, it was behind some cluster of trees and I started to notice walker's closing in around it, I heard the shot and saw a whole bunch of vehicles leave, vehicles that I recognised from Rick's farm... I was too slow to catch their attention and they drove off. I saw this one making her way through the horde alone, I went to help. Whiskey and Leon saved my life now we are back here." I told him slowly and determinedly. "There were a few cleared dirt paths around the place, or snow paths I suppose they are now." I said in annoyance.

"You're thinking that we go there?" He asked in shock.

"No." I told him, his patronising tone was completely unwelcome, everyone was treating me differently now I had Connor with me. "We send a team there to clear it out. Move everyone in, wait and see if Rick's group comes back. If they don't Leon and Michonne can try and track the vehicles through the snow, find out where they got to." I told him strongly.

He looked me in surprise but smiled and nodded to me. "I'm glad you're still with us Eric."

"Tell me what you mean by that?" I asked, my voice quivering with an edge of rage and he looked at me with more curiosity than I had ever seen on someone's face.

"Oh my god... What the... Ah! Where...!? What am I doing here!? I was... I-I..." I suddenly heard the girl say next to me from the bed.

Julian began to whisper to her softly and she began to push his hands away and started feeling around the bed. "It's okay swee..." Dr Marsh began to mutter tenderly.

"Who are you!?" She said suddenly with fear. "Where are the rest of my clothes..!? Oh my god!" She said as her face began to cringe with fear and realisation. I handed Connor to Tyreese and spun around and pushed Dr Marsh out of the way.

"Hon... My name is Eric. You remember me?" I asked her, moving my face near hers and looking her in her wide frightened eyes. She began to soften up as she looked at me. "Yes I came to your father's farm. I promise you darling... nothing bad has been done to you. Unfortunately you did all the bad yourself." I told her softly. "You were running from a pack of walkers and you tripped and hit your head on a rock. I was out investigating the smoke you had coming out the chimney above the trees. I found you and we made our way back to this road with my group. Now please forgive me darling..." I told her, giving her an awkward half-smile. "But that night was kind of an emotional blur for me... I don't believe I caught your name?" I told her politely.

"My name's Beth... Greene." She said softly and quietly, her voice still slightly quivering with fear."

"I'm going to need you to calm down Beth. You have absolutely nothing to fear with this group here. I will make sure nothing bad comes your way. But you need to answer a few of my friend's questions..." I said, indicating to Tyreese gently. "And you're going to have to trust our valuable and highly skilled Dr Marsh here." I told her with a grin, she looked at me nervously and then looked at the wall in fear. "I am sorry you have to go through this Beth but please trust me when I tell you that I have a plan to get you back to your group and I _will _make sure that happens. Do you trust me Beth?"

She turned around onto her side and looked into my eyes, she made a show of seeming to be inspecting something and then shrugged her shoulders. "Can't say."


	17. Hope Could Win

**This chapter we will see the two groups encounter. The outcome is not what anyone expected.**

**Later that Day: 4.13pm.**

Luckily for us the small herd from the warehouse had never ambled down our way towards the road. We had time to finish what needed doing and give Beth enough time to get used to walking. When she had felt strong enough she had trusted me to help her outside and support her she adjusted herself to the situation. She really seemed to trust me and I was flattered that she thought so highly of me so swiftly. She had been a bit dazed when everyone tried to introduce themselves but she had made sure to say hello to Connor.

The rest of the group was waiting by the vehicles a fair way back down the forest trail. Tyreese and I had assembled a strike crew that would clear out the building of all walkers. We agreed that one of us should stay with the others so here I was leading the attack group. It consisted of Whiskey, Teddy, Shane, Michonne, Ernesto and Andrea; the others stayed behind to help Tyreese. We all trudged up through the snow in the least amount of winter gear as we could handle against the cold, we needed manoeuvrability over warmth, and we'd be panting and sweating before too long anyhow. We were getting closer to the warehouse and I began to feel a crippling feeling in my heart that I was going to die.

Every since Connor was born I had been more terrified, terrified of dying. Leaving him here alone. That was the reason I went alone to investigate the smoke. I wanted to prove to myself there was nothing to be afraid of. The entire fiasco had made me more scared than ever. I was almost bitten twice during the whole thing and each time I had been lucky to escape alive. Whiskey and Leon _had_ saved my life... _Even if I could never admit it to them_. Whiskey was right. I needed to be more careful... For my boy. I wasn't about to let him down, not after what I had to go through in the old world, let alone being abandoned by your parents in _this _one. Forget about survival. If me and Leon had been in this situation when we were eight and we ran away, we would have been dead within half an hour.

Whiskey came trudging up beside me. He had both his weapons in hand again and had chosen to wear his already blood splattered clothes to avoid ruining another pair. "We're getting closer. How are we gonna do this?" Whiskey asked, scratching at his beard with the back of his knife hand.

"Form a circle... tight perimeter... kill anything that gets close enough." I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"Simple... Effective." He said with a grin. He looked at me again and I could see the concern in his eyes. "I've got your back... I won't let a thing happen to you." He said determinedly.

I couldn't help but ask now, it seemed a good idea when it came to my head. "Why? After how I left things with you... I was surprised you acknowledged my existence back in Woodbury."

He looked at me with a reminiscent glare suddenly. "I always liked you the best Eric. Break open your precious whiskey bottle tonight and I'll explain everything." He said with a grunt falling back and quietly relaying the message about our 'battle tactic' to the others.

When we got close to the cluster of trees I saw a majority of the small herd had lagged behind and were roaming aimlessly around the building. I turned toward the group. Ernesto clicked his neck and loosened up his shoulders as he psyched himself up for what was to come. Soon all of us would be lost in that 'kill or be killed' mentality. We'd all be in battle soon, fighting for our lives. And we were a group of hard, desperate motherfuckers if ever I heard of one.

"Everyone form the circle when the first walker spots us, I don't care about who's where, you watch the person to your left and protect yourself. No loud gunfire. Andrea or I both have silenced pistols, if you can avoid going loud, let us try and handle it." I said nodding to the blonde purposefully.

She looked a little bit frightened and the rest were doing their best to hide it, I know I was in the same boat as her. "We watch each other's back... we all make it out of this alive." I told them.

They all nodded in agreement and we formed our circle. Michonne was to my right and Whiskey was to my left. "Alright, let's clear up the outside first and split up when we get inside." He said to me softly as we began to trudge forward, watching our areas. I nodded to my side at him and he turned back to face the oncoming walkers. They had begun to notice us as we reached the cluster of trees and within the space of about fifteen seconds we went from incognito to completely surrounded. The walker's seemed to be able to sense when the other had found food, because soon we had packs of them coming out of the warehouse and around the trees towards us, a few were crawling out of the dense bush and others were just toddling over from where they had been aimlessly wandering.

We held a tight formation. I left my bow and the quiver with Kylie in the Kombi so I could move freely. Leaving my axe, knife and pistol to protect me as we fought off the waves of undead that walked right into our weapons. We started to slowly edge our way toward the edge of the tree cluster as we destroyed the geeks that got close enough.

I battled my way forward at the front with Michonne and Whiskey against the seemingly constant stream of walkers that were coming our way. My axe slashed left and right. I was doing my level best to kill them and avoid getting the blade stuck in one of their heads but whenever I did I would simply lash out with the combat knife to give myself more time. Before we reached the edge of the trees we had a scare. Ernesto was dropping them like flies to Whiskey's but he got carried away and broke rank, running out to kill one. Whiskey followed him and protected him and we had to tighten the circle up until they reconnected.

We saw the warehouse as we picked our way forward after that. There weren't many walkers left, well not compared to the amount we had killed anyhow. The warehouse was tall, at least three or four levels. There were small windows lining the upper levels and slightly bigger ones lower down. High up at the top there was a sign that said Grover & Son Supply Warehouse. Probably stocked with timber and other shit or it could be one of those dummy warehouses that gun-runners tended to use. _We should be so lucky._

I smashed my axe across a walker's face and it fell backwards at pace. I sent my right foot colliding into the next one's chest and sliding my knife into the back of a walker's head that was attacking Whiskey, who was preoccupied already. As we shuffled forward I stomped in the fallen walker's head and planted a wide overhead swing into another walkers skull and wrenched it from his head with a single violent tug. Michonne flicked her sword around like an artist with a paintbrush; her combat was a thing of grace and beauty. She had her desperate moments where she would get into rage fuelled frenzies but mostly she kept a cool head and casually swung her sword around expertly like a wand of walker purification.

Fighting alongside the two of them was a daunting challenge, trying to match their ferocity and their skill was tough enough. When we reached the entrance of the tall warehouse I noticed that there were only about twenty or so walkers remaining. "Break ranks! Kill the rest!" I ordered commandingly and we all split off into different directions, diverting small groups of walkers towards ourselves. I already had ten or so on me and Whiskey and I began to hammer into them as effectively as we could. Whiskey was throwing walkers down left and right and I was doing my best to kill every one that crossed my path. My right shoulder was already beginning to ache and cramp up as I swung my axe left and right.

Three walkers were all approaching side by side as Whiskey was being surrounded by a couple of his own. The first one was knocked down with a well placed kick and the next received a knife up through the jaw and into the brain for it's trouble. The last one grabbed at my shoulder and I fell to my knees and rose back up sharply as he flopped onto my shoulder and got slung into the air behind me. I ripped the knife free of the other corpses head and swung my axe in a high arc as I turned, putting the writhing walker on the ground out of it's misery swiftly. I pried it free with a small struggle and turned towards the others.

Before I could take anything in around me there were two walkers pushing me to the ground and clamouring around me trying to find some open skin. I managed to push one to the side clumsily and I felt the other one fall limp on top of me as a bullet shattered it's skull and ruined it's brain. I turned my head to see the katana take half of the other one's head off and somebody pulled the body off of me. Michonne and Andrea picked me up and I nodded my thanks to both of them. Whiskey threw a walker into one of the trees nearby and I heard it's spine snap as he turned on the last two around them and stabbed the first through the eye with a quick motion and proceeded to slam his police baton into the last one's skull at least four times until brains came oozing out of the crack. He stabbed the paralyzed walkers head before looking up and taking in the sights.

I found Shane backed against the warehouse wall. He lunged the head of the axe forward. Forcing one of the walkers backwards before he drew the fire axe back in and slammed a left hook across one his attackers snarling faces. He ducked behind one of the last two that had approached from his right and spun and swung at the same time. In a fluid half turn motion he smashed half of the axe head into one of the walkers skulls. The other turned as he put his foot on the walker's head and pulled the axe out in a hurry. He managed to sidestep the walker just in time and he pulled out his knife stabbing it through the face three times to make sure it was dead. He dispatched the last one and I noted how similar his fighting style was to Whiskey's if a little more frantic.

Teddy and Ernesto were fighting back to back as the last group of walkers closed around them. Michonne had run to their aid and she was cutting a path into the circle that had formed around them as Ernesto's blood covered nail-bar dug it's way into the geek's brains and Teddy's sickle was slashing out and ripping the walker's heads in half with insane skill. Teddy smashed his foot into one of the walker's knees and the bone broke and stuck out of the thing's skin as blood sprayed on the snow. Teddy ducked under another and reached around it with the sickle slipping the end of the blade into the opposite side of it's head. Ernesto slammed his knife into the crippled walker's head and shoulder barged another before leaning over it and smashing his nail bar into it's face over and over. He was getting surrounded quickly before Michonne had fought her way in and killed three walkers that were coming for him in ten seconds.

They despatched the injured walkers that were on the ground as Shane and I undid the latch on the huge wooden sliding door. We decided to wait until everyone else was around before just opening it up and we waited for the little team to gather around. "Alright that wasn't bad." I said with a relieved sigh and they all chuckled nervously. "Everybody whole?" I asked, just to be sure.

"We're all good, ready when you are boss man." Whiskey said, spinning the bloody police baton in his hand.

"Andrea's watching the door, her rifle and bayonet combo makes it best." I explained simply. "The rest of us go inside and split up. There are three levels in here not counting any basement, which we'd all search when we're ready anyway." I assured them carefully. "I'll take level one alone. The rest of you find the stairs. Michonne, Ernesto and Teddy are on level two and Whiskey and Shane take the top floor. That way if top or bottom needs help we got plenty in the middle to make up for it."

Everyone nodded along and Shane smiled at the group. "A minute to rest?" He asked, panting and Michonne slide her sword in the sheath.

"Thought you'd never ask." She muttered amusingly.

Andrea leaned against the wall tiredly with a shiver as she grabbed her rifle from her back and held it in both hands determinedly. "What do you think is inside?" She asked.

"Nothing good." I said sadly. "There's no way we can no what happened around here. For all we know they closed the doors before any walker's got inside."

Ernesto pulled his beanie off and scratched his hair. "Either way we're gonna stay here tonight right?" He asked curiously.

"More that likely." I confirmed with a grin.

"There could still be somebody in there..." Teddy said slowly and carefully and I heaved myself towards the door, I dragged it open with all my might and pulled my tomahawk free once again. I saw no walkers in there right away. I saw the stairs in the far right corner. There was a small office room in far left corner but other than that the entire place was one large building. The ceilings were huge, I couldn't speak for the levels above but it seemed that they'd all be similar.

"Stairs on the right there." I told them quickly.

"On the way." Whiskey said as he jogged off with the others towards the stairs, leaving me with Andrea at the doorway.

"It looks empty." I told her.

"Outside's quiet." She replied as she came to look inside. "What about that office?"

"You want to check it out?" I asked her playfully and she smiled.

"Making me break the orders that you gave me? You are bad young Master Paxton." She said patronisingly and I laughed.

She strolled off towards the office purposefully and I jogged up behind her still chuckling. "You want to kick the door in or should I?" I asked with a grin.

"Well I didn't ask you for these boots for the style." She said, facing me as we reached the door. Instantly she turned back around and kicked just below the door handle and it swung open sharply. She held the rifle up to her eye line and poked her head in the office. I came in behind her as she picked her way in carefully and I saw the body on the ground. Andrea tripped over something and knowing that the room was safe she looked down. I saw her face as recognition swept across it while she eyed the blood splattered bucket hat in her hands. _Fuck..._

"No... B-but..." She stuttered. She winced and cried as she fell onto her ass and sat on the ground hugging the hat to her chest. Tears began to stream down her cheeks.

The body was mostly eaten. The legs, an arm, some of the stomach had been chewed out and the face was hard to recognise, a nice big chunk missing from it's neck also. Andrea placed the bucket hat on the man's chest and grabbed his clod dead remaining hand. She lifted it to her lips and kissed it before placing it on her forehead and sobbing violently. "He was so... I-I just c-c-cant..." She cried out in shock.

I crouched down and put my head in my hands. "One of you...?"

"His name was Dale." She said straight away, tears falling onto the ground like raindrops filled with soul. "One of the greatest men I ever knew." She said softly as she squeezed his hand. "I didn't think life on the road would pan out too well for him, but to actually _see _it like this..." She sniffled.

"Let's find a sheet... Cover him up, we can bury him outside." I said softly as I stood and placed a hand on her shoulder softly.

**Later that night: 6.29pm**

There was a brazier burning on the top floor and most of the group sat around it. Michonne was out on the second storey deck on watch and the rest were eating their dinner amongst their desired groups. I had chosen to keep Beth company with Rea and Connor. Beth was playing with Connor in her lap while she ate, she seemed to be really good with children and I smiled as she seemed to have her spirits lifted by his company.

"How have you dealt with having him all this time?" Beth asked me softly, looking into my son's eyes adoringly. "Rick's wife is pregnant... Just wondering how hard it is to take care of him in... This." She asked me curiously.

"I ain't had him long." I told her simply. "Didn't know he was alive until bout five or six days ago. I'm ready for the challenge though."

"I admire your confidence." She said to me sweetly with a wide smile.

"And I admire your admiration." I said with a chuckle as I swigged back a bit more water.

"Hey... Can I ask you something personal?" She asked me suddenly and I rolled my eyes.

"Such talks never lead anywhere good." I warned her slowly.

"This one is innocent." She assured me with a stare. "Promise." She added after a pause.

"Fire away then detective." I said cheekily.

"Why didn't you just stay?" She asked. _I knew I'd have to answer this eventually. Somehow I always knew_. "Back at the farm... Why didn't you just stay and... y-y'know... join us?" She asked carefully.

"If I was to say that it was a spur of the moment decision based on the limitations and emotional strains that I had put myself under at the time... would you believe me?" I asked her swiftly.

She rolled her eyes at me and chuckled. "You don't wanna tell me?" She asked with an attitude. "Fine."

"That's actually the truth. I wasn't scared back then.." I told her, before looking around at everyone. "Then I met these people. Rea here especially." I told her, nudging the young girl beside me as she stuffed her face. She looked at me and poked her tongue out, it was covered in mashed up food and I pushed her again. "Even if she _is _a disgusting freak." I said with a smile.

"_You _are the freak Paxton." She said with her mouth full.

"Why isn't your friend over there as social as you?" She asked, pointing over at where Leon was sitting alone beside the fire cleaning his rifle.

"I can't really speak for his motives on anything these days... People have changed so much since this thing began... Leon especially." I told her.

"That's what Lori kept saying about Shane... What Rick said about Andrea..." She said softly.

"What'd Rick say?" Andrea asked suddenly from behind her, I head seen her approaching but had no idea what Beth was about to say. Beth turned around as her cheeks went red and she began to stammer.

"O-oh well ah... he j-just said... that um..." She said awkwardly.

Andrea sat down next to me and we bumped fists as a greeting and Beth chuckled. "Relax Beth. We're friends remember." She said cheerfully.

"We are?" She asked curiously, giving me a quick glance before looking at Andrea again with a knowing glare.

"If you guys have something private to discuss we can go..." Rea suddenly said, looking at me imploringly. I was interested to hear what they had to discuss, but it _was_ the polite thing to do. Beth was a stranger, I had no right to pry into her business.

"No..." Beth said suddenly, quietly. "It's better if I'm open with it." She nodded to herself as she closed her eyes. "I tried to commit suicide. Andrea here opened up the opportunity for me after some of the others were trying to make sure I didn't do anything. In the moment I decided that I didn't want to die. I still don't..." She said distantly.

"I gave you the choice... You made the right one, just like I did." She said softly. Her eyes were still red rimmed from crying and I put my arm around her. She put her head in my shoulder and sniffled. "I wanted to die after Amy was bitten. We were given a chance in the CDC. Jenner told us the place would explode at the end of a timer that was on the screen in there." She said slowly. "Me and another woman chose to stay when Rick convinced him to let them out. It was Dale who talked me out of it. He was willing to sacrifice his life with me. He cared about me that much. I dragged him out of there." She said softly and cried.

"I'm sorry I had no idea about your connection." I told her, holding her closer.

"I was so angry at him... Because he was right... I was being a coward. Amy wouldn't want me to die like that. She didn't give up... what happened to her just happened and there's nothing else to it... I miss her, but I know that she would want me to be strong and carry on." She said sadly. "We were making up towards the end. I had his back about Randall until you showed up, he wanted to spare the boy..." She said sadly. She looked up at me and smiled. "You had every right though... After what he did." She muttered to me reassuringly. _Of course..._ I thought ominously. "We finally talked everything through and hugged it out on the night that _fucking _herd blew through..." She said frustratedly. "I always held onto that stupid hope y'know... that I'd find them again and Dale would be there with his bushy eyebrows and his wide smile, ready to give me a hug and welcome me back."

"I didn't know Dale all that well, I wish I did now..." Beth said sadly.

"Me too." I told Andrea as I let go of her and Beth passed me Connor.

"Smells like changing time." Andrea said clinching her nose with a chuckle.

"My son really knows how to ruin the mood huh?" I told them with a chuckle as Rea went to fetch Connor's bag.

"He's too adorable to hold a grudge at though." Andrea said looking at him with sparkling eyes.

"Like father like son." I said, holding him up next to my face.

"He's a damn sight prettier than you are son." Shane said as he approached slowly and awkwardly.

"Well that's a low bar to beat." Rea said cheekily as she returned with the bag.

"Help you Shane?" Andrea asked with an attitude. As they all began to speak I changed my son's nappy, it wasn't a luxury job but it felt like a privilege in this new world. All the blood and brains and death I had to deal with every day, a bit of shit on my son's ass seemed a good chance to relax.

"Just came to pay my sympathies... About Dale... Me and the old dude didn't always see eye to..." He began to say slowly.

Andrea cut him off sharply. "Spare me." She said angrily.

Shane seemed to follow her warning and stopped and put his head down. "Well can I at least say a quick apology to Beth?" He asked almost desperately.

"What?" Beth asked, turning towards him nervously. It was clear that she was scared of the man.

"I'm sorry if I scared you Beth... And I am incredibly sorry about all the hurtful things I said about your family. But more than anything... and I know that I cannot take it back but I apologise for what I did to your father. He never deserved that, he was right all along. I couldn't see at the time, that enough was enough. I can't change that. But I can change what happens next." He said softly. "So once again. I apologise for everything I have done. It has been inexcusable I know... But I just hope that you and maybe some day _everyone_..." He said looking around slowly and awkwardly. "Will forgive me and maybe even give me another chance... So uh... yeah, thanks for your time." He said shaking his head at himself in embarrassment and trudging off swiftly.

"Well that was new..." Andrea muttered with a chuckle.

_It was a strange thing for Shane to do_. I thought as I fastened on the clean nappy and kissed my son over and over. But maybe it meant he was finally ready to face facts... accept his situation or whatever. "Well it's a good start in my books." I said simply.

"How is everyone doing?" Andrea asked Beth imploringly after a short pause. "How is Lori?"

"She's really pregnant... Morning sickness, bump showing, crazy hormones... the whole deal." She said, rolling her eyes. "She does her best to keep it under control but it has been hard on all of us already."

"How is Rick handling everything?" Andrea asked, by the way her voice quivered, _this _was the question that had been bugging her for a while and that surprised me, she had expressed no deep feelings for Rick to me since we had been together, even if it wasn't for long, but she knew I was a friend of his.

Beth seemed hesitant to say anything, she bit her lower lip and then her eyes widened and she snapped. "He's miserable. This thing with Shane... It's breaking him. He's talked to my father about how losing you cut him up, made him lose hope... I heard them one night." She explained softly. "He can't forgive Lori or Shane..." She said sadly. "The whole group is so tense... People are talking about leaving." She said. "Maggie's already tried to convince me and Glenn to leave with her but I will _not _leave my father and he trusts Rick... And so do I." he said nervously.

"I do too Beth." Andrea said tenderly. "I believed in Rick from the moment he saved our asses in Atlanta and never stopped since. He's one of the best men I know, he doesn't deserve all that pain he's going through." She said sadly.

"I just hope they're okay out there." Beth said sadly. "They're in more danger than we are." She explained.

I suddenly handed Connor to Beth and she began to bob him up and down and laugh with him. "They aren't out there... More than likely they're on their way back here to look for you." I told her confidently. She seemed like she was going to ask something in retort and I put a finger to my lips. "Just believe." I told her with a smile.

She smiled back at me in amusement. "I do." She said with a nod.

"So Connor seems to like you." I told her as she cradled him in her arms lovingly.

"He's the sweetest thing I've ever laid eyes on. Where is the mother?" She asked suddenly.

I wanted to reply but my throat tightened up and my stomach did a million somersaults, everything in my head, my nerves and my instincts told me not to tell this girl about Ro. I couldn't possibly fathom why, I had just met her, I hardly knew anything about her, only that she was pretty, she seemed so innocent and sweet that she just picked my spirits up whether she wanted to or not. _Jesus Christ I have feelings for this girl_. I thought, my heart beginning to race. _No! I can't! _I thought angrily, I know it was a stupid thing to be scared of but I felt that if I got involved with her she would just end up like Lila and Rochelle.

Luckily before I answered her question an eerie yet sharp knock echoed up from the bottom floor. "Eric!" Michonne called urgently.

I sped down the stairs, pulling my Beretta out of it's holster on my way. When I got outside to the second storey balcony I suddenly felt harsh a cold wind lashing into my face like an ice whip. I stood alongside the woman and she pointed at the huddle of people that had gathered around the door. The snow was falling sideways in the wind and there was _a lot_ of it. The snow storm was only in its beginning moments but it was picking up fast and the people at our door were feeling it worse than me. "Travellers?" I asked them in a loudly, trying to assert some authority in my voice.

"Search party!" I heard Rick's voice call out.

"Rick!?" I shouted in desperation.

A short pause. "ERIC!?" I suddenly heard booming towards me from the ground floor.

I turned to Michonne and chuckled. "Let them in before they turn to snowmen."


End file.
